The final quarter of the Patriots’ season reportedly was the straw that broke the camel’s back in New England.
Even as the Patriots started to stockpile losses earlier in the campaign, there was widespread belief that Jerod Mayo would have an opportunity to redeem himself in 2025. But after a hellacious end to a 4-13 season, New England immediately fired Mayo following its costly season-ending win Sunday.
The morning after Mayo’s removal, NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran relayed information he gathered about Robert Kraft’s big decision and the impending coaching search.
“Last four games were untenable,” Curran posted to X. “This move wasn’t anticipated. Disorganization became too much to take. It’s safe to presume (Mike) Vrabel is No. 1 candidate. Anticipate personnel department getting more time to right ship and fix roster.”
The majority of Curran’s report makes sense. Kraft probably wanted to give Mayo as long of a leash as possible after hand-picking him to replace Bill Belichick, but the Patriots spiraling out of control effectively forced the longtime owner’s hand. As for the front office, it’s certainly up for debate if Eliot Wolf and company deserve another shot at managing the roster coming off a very weak offseason.
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Finding a new head coach surely will be New England’s top priority at this juncture, and if it’s not Vrabel who replaces Mayo, it potentially could be an offensive guru who could take Drake Maye’s game to new heights.
Featured image via Peter van den Berg/Imagn Images
