Jerod Mayo officially made history this Wednesday, becoming the first Black head coach for the New England Patriots.
During his introductory press conference, Mayo was asked about the significance of this achievement. His response was worth a read.
“I do see color,” Mayo said. “If you don’t see color, you can’t see racism.”
Mayo continued, “Whatever happens, black, white, someone with disabilities – for the most part – people make the spot hot. What I would say is I want you to be able to go up to those people and understand people. It does matter so we can fix the problem that we all know we have”
#Patriots coach Jerod Mayo, on being New England’s first black head coach and the significance: “I do see color. If you don’t see color, you can’t see racism.”
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 17, 2024
Patriots owner Robert Kraft was asked about hiring the franchise’s first Black head coach. His response was a bit different from Mayo’s.
“I chose the best head coach for this organization,” Kraft said. “He happens to be a man of color.”
Time will tell if Mayo can take the Patriots back to the promised land.