Why I Feel Sorry for Jerod Mayo

When the New England Patriots hired Jerod Mayo to succeed Bill Belichick as the team's head coach less than a year ago, I was not envious of the situation he was put in:

While this an extraordinary opportunity, I do not envy Jerod Mayo for a second. Despite the team's recent misfortunes, Mayo will invariably be compared to Belichick and will more likely than not fall short. As it stands, Mayo's hiring is being greeted with cynicism with others saying Pats owner Robert Kraft should have looked outside the organization to replace Belichick. 

Let's put it this way. Suppose Mayo guides the Pats to two Super Bowl titles. There's no guarantee Mayo will enjoy a winning season, but if he led the Pats to two Super Bowl titles that is still four fewer Vince Lombardi trophies than Belichick. 

It will help Mayo that he has spent the better part of 15 years in Massachusetts and knows the weary ways of New England fans who have been spoiled with success. But now Mayo is sitting in the hot seat and will face the kind of scrutiny he never faced as a player or as a member of Belichick's coaching staff. It is all on Jerod Mayo and I wish him the best.

Unfortunately, best wishes weren't enough. Despite ending the season with a win over the Buffalo Bills today, the Pats fired Mayo after only one season with a 4-13 record - identical to their last year under Belichick. Pats fans would have preferred a loss this week as it would have given the team the number one pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Instead, they get the number four pick.

To be sure, Mayo did not help himself after calling his team "soft" following a six-game losing streak and making a perceived jab at offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt (who was also fired today). But let's be honest. Andy Reid could be the head coach of the Pats, and the team would still go 4-13. They're just not very good right now. 

I think Patriots fans accustomed to Super Bowl championship parades expected too much of Mayo and turned their wrath on him the moment they saw he wasn't the second coming of Belichick chanting "Fire Mayo" during last week's final home game.

Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, who earned three Super Bowl rings with the Pats, is widely expected to succeed Mayo as head coach. That is unless the New York Jets beat them to the punch.

But let's suppose that the Pats hire Vrabel, and they go 4-13 again next season? Will they be looking for a new coach at this time next year? Or would Vrabel get a pass on account of the color of his skin? 

I feel sorry for Jerod Mayo. He was placed into a no-win situation, got set up to fail and has now been unceremoniously shown the door. Professional sports in Boston can be so unfair and unforgiving.