Patriots owner Robert Kraft shoulders blame after firing Jerod Mayo: 'Whole situation is on me'
Kraft and the Patriots moving quickly to get their head coach interview requests in with the rest of the NFL
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft released a statement on Sunday night regarding Jerod Mayo’s firing, as he believed it was the right move to make after just one season at the helm.
Now, Kraft is solely focused on moving quickly with yet another head coaching search after he and Bill Belichick parted ways before the 2024 season.
Before he discussed the plan this time around, though, Kraft shouldered the blame after another 4-13 campaign.
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New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft during warmups for the Dolphins game at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 9, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
"This whole situation is on me," Kraft told reporters on Monday, via ESPN. "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.
"In the end, I'm a fan of this team first, and now I have to go out and find a coach who can get us back to the playoffs and hopefully championships."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Teams are making calls already to potential head coach candidates, and the Patriots are wasting no time either.
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New England has pinged the Detroit Lions about a formal request to interview star offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. And, of course, Kraft was asked about Mike Vrabel, another former player of his who has much more head coaching experience in the NFL than Mayo, who was leading a team for the first time.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"There are some wonderful people that we’ve heard about," Kraft responded when asked about Vrabel, who most recently was head coach of the Tennessee Titans before his firing after the 2023 season. "I’d rather respond to that after I’ve seen everyone. We want to interview as many people as we can that we think can help us get to that position that we want to be in."
New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo looks at the scoreboard during the Buffalo Bills game at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, Dec. 22, 2024. (Mark Konezny-Imagn Images)
As for the process, Kraft’s son, Jonathan, who serves as team president, will be involved, as well as senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith and executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf. Kraft’s front office will also remain the same during this coaching transition.
Mayo’s final game as head coach had NFL Draft implications on Sunday, as Joe Milton III’s breakout game against the Buffalo Bills lost the Patriots the No. 1 overall pick. Now, they will be choosing fourth overall come April.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But Kraft didn’t appear bothered by Mayo coaching the Patriots to a final victory to end the season, as he said the former New England linebacker was informed of the decision after the game.
"In the end, I'm a fan of this team first, and now I have to go out and find a coach who can get us back to the playoffs and hopefully championships." Robert Kraft said. (Brian Fluharty-USA Today Sports)
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"He was a man," Kraft said of Mayo’s reaction to the firing. "Look, it was one of the more difficult things I've had to do in my life because I had such affection for him. And I believe in him. I really do believe as he gets more experience, he'll be successful. He was a gentleman and accepted it that way."
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