The Patriots head coach still has life, even if Gillette Stadium is sucking it out of him.
‘Fire Mayo’ chants rained down en masse Saturday as the Patriots dropped to 3-13 on the season. But despite the 40-7 blowout and all the peanut gallery had to say about it, New England’s first-year head coach still has his believers in the locker room.
AP
“I think [Mayo’s] doing a great job, keeping us motivated and prepared and locked in on our goals every week,” defensive lineman Deatrich Wise Jr. said after Saturday’s loss to the Chargers, per ESPN.
The veteran continued: “I don’t think we should write him off right now. A lot of coaches start off tough, but there are multiple coaches who are OK now and in the playoffs. I feel like we need to continue to believe in coach and he’ll find a way to make everything right next year.”
Support in the locker room is surely welcomed. But of course, the opinion that matters most does not belong to anyone who wears a jersey in Gillette — whether on the field or in the stands.
Robert Kraft always intended for Mayo to succeed Bill Belichick at the helm — that intent was literally written into his coaching contract. The expectation is Kraft will give Mayo another season to prove him right, according to NFL Network.
Wise’s sentiments were echoed by a number of his teammates, including veteran defensive tackle Davon Godchaux.
“The guy’s in his first season, it’s not going to be golden,” Godchaux said. “We didn’t expect to win a Super Bowl this year. I get it, nobody wants to get beaten 40-7, but the [fire Mayo] chant is ridiculous.”
Despite the abominable record, there have been signs of life — a Week 1 upset over the Bengals; a Week 16 almost-upset over the Buffalo Bills — and the Patriots look to have at least a few foundational pieces in place.
Rookie quarterback Drake Maye, the Patriot’s third overall selection in 2024, looks to be the real deal. Despite the lack of consistency and talent that surrounds him, the UNC alum has shown real promise.
Holes remain though — a whole lot of them. And while the Patriots have the capital — cap-wise and draft-wise to fill them — the track record is not exemplary.
Outside of Maye, the 2024 draft class has been wholly uninspiring.
The free-agent class hasn’t given Mayo or executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf much to write home about, either.
But all is not lost. Far from it. New England’s $131 million worth of cap space ranks as the most in the league, per OverTheCap.com, and the franchise owns the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft after Sunday’s results.
The leash will be short if Mayo’s brought back next season — miss on that pick and his year may be over before it’s begun.