Jerod Mayo had a different tone when asked about his job security on Wednesday
FOXBORO -- While questions about Jerod Mayo's future with the New England Patriots are swirling, the head coach is making is clear that his focus is in the present. In doing so, he sidestepped questions about his job security on Wednesday.
Mayo's Patriots sit at just 3-11 as he enters the final weeks of his rookie season as an NFL head coach. Despite that record, there have been rumblings that he'll be back next season, with team owner Robert Kraft (and his son, Jonathan) willing to give Mayo time to grow in his role.
It was reported over the weekend by The Athletic's Dianna Russini that Kraft has told those around him that he is committed to Mayo. The head coach has also mentioned being much better in Year 2 on a handful of occasions, displaying a sense of job security despite the team's struggles.
But Mayo's tone shifted on Wednesday, as he gave a very Belichickian response when he was asked about Russini's report.
"I'm not sure where that story came from. I have multiple conversations on a daily basis with ownership and they've always been supportive," Mayo said at Gillette Stadium.
He balked again when asked if he has been given any assurances for the 2025 season.
"For me this week, my focus is on this game, the Bills, here today," Mayo said as a follow-up. "Things that happen after the season, I can't control those things. It's all about the Bills.
"I'm not trying to squash anything," Mayo added. "I'm trying to let you know where my focus is, and it's on the Bills."
The Patriots have a difficult matchup on Sunday as they'll play the 11-3 Bills in Buffalo. New England has lost three straight and are coming off an embarrassing 30-17 loss to the Cardinals in Arizona. The Patriots had their bye week ahead of that defeat, but made many of the same mistakes in Arizona that have plagued them all season. Add in Mayo essentially throwing offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt under the bus after the game, and there haven't been many positive vibes coming out of Foxboro this week.
There was no mention of Year 2 from Mayo on Wednesday, and he really didn't have much to say about this year's team either. Asked if the 2024 New England Patriots have established and identity yet, Mayo pointed to the scoreboard.
"I understand the question. What I would say is we are what our record is at this point," said Mayo. "We have to get better."
Drake Maye backs Jerod Mayo, Patriots coaching staff
While most fans in New England don't feel all that great about Mayo's ability to coach the team, Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye backed his head coach when he took the podium inside Gillette Stadium. Maye said that Mayo is a great player's coach who, as a former player himself, understands what they're going through on a weekly basis and can connect with them.
Maye sounded confident that wins will be coming soon, and that Mayo will be a big part of the turnaround in New England.
"He's figuring it out and we're behind him and backing him," said Maye. "We trust the plan he's got for us, and we trust what he says in the team meeting rooms and all his little sayings that he has. We believe in it and we're bought into it.
"I think the results are coming," continued Maye. "Everybody wishes they were now, and I think we're kind of striving for that, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way. But we're coming and the winning is coming in the near future."
Maye wasn't the only player to back Mayo on Wednesday. Running back Antonio Gibson also said the team is behind Mayo.
"That's our head coach. We're rocking with him. When things go bad, you don't want to just bail," said Gibson. "I had a rough start and those guys didn't give up on me. So I wouldn't want anybody to give up on him as well. It takes time."
Defensive captain Deatrich Wise Jr. said it's been "great" to play under Mayo and believes he'll be better as he gains more experience.
"It's his first year. I feel like there are a lot of coaches whose first year isn't good and they go on and do great things," said Wise, pointing to Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell.
"He always brings high energy and does a good job coaching guys while critiquing them. I think he's doing a solid job." Wise added of Mayo. "Yes, we want to have more wins – that's obvious. But I think what he's doing will work out in the future."
Drake Maye praises Alex Van Pelt
Just as he did with Mayo, Maye also tossed support of Van Pelt on Wednesday. He said that he backs his offensive coordinator "100 percent."
"What he's done for my development and just a quarterback-friendly offensive coordinator, I think you want that in that room. He'll coach you hard and let me know when my part of the job or the play isn't done right. He's the first one to let me know, but he's also the first to pump you up," said Maye. "Him and [quarterbacks coach] T.C. [McCartney] have been awesome; I can't say enough about those two."
While the Patriots have long been eliminated from playoff contention and will be heavy underdogs in each of their final three games, Maye said that it won't be difficult to stay motivated to close out the 2024 season.
"It's another chance to play in the NFL, to play on Sunday and play a great opponent. We get to play against a playoff-level team to see where we're at, see who can make plays in those moments," he said. "It's a big test for us. Hopefully we have a lot of games with Buffalo in the future, so it's a good opportunity."
Tune in to Sunday's Patriots-Bills game on WBZ-TV, the flagship station of the New England Patriots. Coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. with Patriots GameDay (which you can also stream on CBS News Boston), kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m., and after the game switch over to TV38 for full reaction and analysis on Patriots 5th Quarter!
