ESPN star Stephen A. Smith reacted to the New England Patriots' decision to fire Jerod Mayo after just one season at the helm.
Smith lamented on “First Take” that Mayo did not have enough opportunities to develop as a head coach and lead the team. He said Mike Vrabel's availability on the coaching market also played a role.
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New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo during the Arizona Cardinals game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on December 15, 2024. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)
“This is Mike Vrabel. That's what they wanted. There's no doubt about it,” Smith said. “He's the most experienced coach. I don't like this. They call it Black Monday for a reason. This certainly typifies it. I don't know why it's not called White Monday. Doug Pederson was fired from Jacksonville. He deserved that firing.
“Jerod Mayo clearly didn't get a long enough chance considering what Bill Belichick left him from a talent perspective, considering the record, considering the way the team performed.”
Smith added that he believed the Patriots' brass “turned against Mayo” over the course of the season.
“He wasn't helped by some of the comments he made calling the team soft… But no matter what we can point out, at the end of the day people in New England were turning against Jerod Mayo. We all know this,” said.
“And I think it has something to do with the fact that Vrabel is available and that's what's really happening here. They don't want to lose him to a team like the New York Jets. They want to be in the race, and they can't do that with him as head coach.”
The Patriots went 4-13 in Mayo's only season.
New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo shakes hands with Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
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New England team owner Robert Kraft made the announcement after New England defeated the Buffalo Bills in the final game of the season.
“After today's game, I informed Jerod Mayo that I will not be returning as head coach of the New England Patriots in 2025. For me personally, this was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made,” Kraft said.
“I have known Jerod for 17 years. He earned my respect and admiration as a rookie in 2008 and throughout his career for his play on the field, his leadership in the locker room and the way he carried himself in our community. When he joined joined “Our coaching staff, his leadership was even more evident as I saw how the players responded to him. When other teams started asking to interview him, I was afraid of losing him and committed to making him our next head coach.”
Kraft went on to say the move comes because he feels fans deserve a better on-field product in the future.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft during warmups before the Dolphins game at Hard Rock Stadium on January 9, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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“Since purchasing the team, I have always considered myself and my family as custodians of a public good. We have enormous fans who expect and deserve a better product than we have delivered in recent years,” Kraft's statement reads. . “I apologize for that. I have given a lot of thought and consideration to what actions I can take to expedite our return to championship contention and have determined that this action was the best option at this time.”
Fox News' Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
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