The Patriots parted ways with their head coach on Sunday.
Update 1/6/2025: Robert Kraft blames himself after Jerod Mayo firing: ‘I put him in an untenable situation’
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft met with the media on Monday afternoon to address the recent firing of head coach Jerod Mayo. The 83-year-old, who had hand-picked Mayo to succeed long-time head coach Bill Belichick last offseason, started off by pointing the finger to himself.
“This whole situation is on me,” Kraft said. “I feel terrible for Jerod, because I put him in an untenable situation. I know that he has all the tools as a head coach to be successful in this league. He just needed more time before taking the job.”
A former linebacker under Belichick, Mayo re-joined the team as an assistant coach in 2019. Four years later, he was contractually guaranteed to take over after Belichick’s eventual departure — a transition that happened last January.
Twelve months later, Kraft acknowledged his miscalculation. As a consequence, he and the team is now looking for a new coach.
“In the end, I’m a fan of this team first,” he said. “And now, I have to go out and find a coach who can get us back to the playoffs and hopefully championships.”
Original story 1/6/2025: Robert Kraft addresses Jerod Mayo firing, Patriots’ future at head coach
One day after firing Jerod Mayo as head coach, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is set to address the media to speak about the move and his organization’s future following a 4-13 season.
Mayo was originally promoted to Patriots head coach last January, succeeding the team’s long-time leader Bill Belichick. A former linebacker and assistant coach under Belichick, the hope was that he would help return the team to its glory days after back-to-back years without a playoff berth.
However, hiring the inexperienced Mayo proved to be a miscalculation on the Kraft family’s part. Despite improved play at the all-important quarterback position, the team struggled while its head coach at times appeared in over his head.
As a result, he was fired after Sunday’s season finale against Buffalo.
Kraft’s press conference will be streamed live at patriots.com and the team’s social media channels, and you will also be able to watch it right here on Pats Pulpit.