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Jerod Mayo discussed facing criticism, developing Drake Maye, and his relationship with the Krafts
"What I've found is that [with] the players, or even my kids, or people I'm close to, what really hurts them is when they go through the comments."
Even in abstract, the notion of following arguably the greatest coach in NFL history would be a tough assignment.
For Jerod Mayo, currently slogging his way through his debut season as head coach of the Patriots, the specific circumstances of replacing Bill Belichick have made it even tougher.
He inherited a roster that was universally identified as understrength prior to the season, and a quarterback situation that included a career backup and a rookie (albeit a talented one).
Still, Mayo has faced his share of critics over the course of the season, as New England is 2-5 in one-score games (and 3-10 overall). His decision-making on a plethora of topics — from whether or not to start Drake Maye in Week 1 to specific calls on two-point conversions — has been dissected as scrupulously as anyone can be in the first year of a new job.
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That said, the 38-year-old former New England linebacker takes the criticism in his stride. Speaking in a lengthy recent interview with NBC Sports Boston Patriots reporter Tom E. Curran during the team’s bye week, Mayo responded directly to how he feels about tough coverage.
“I appreciate true journalism. I always have,” he told Curran. “As long [it is] truthful or there is some backing behind it, some reason, I’ve been very open that if you have a question, I’ll answer it as much as I can.”
“I understand media, and I understand the frustration of the fans, even at the beginning of the season when we didn’t start Drake,” said Mayo. “Everyone was up in arms.
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Maye didn’t start for New England until Week 6 against the Texans when the Patriots were already 1-4. He has since shown tremendous potential, periodically making plays that remind fans why he was the third overall pick.
“It would’ve been very easy if I heard all of the noise to really go against the plan that we talked about in a time of peace — and when I say in a time of peace, that’s when you don’t have all these people in your ear telling you what to do,” said Mayo.
“I think right now everyone’s like, ‘Well, maybe that was the right move because he’s playing at a high level,'” added the Patriots’ coach. “In saying that, [Maye] still has a lot of room to grow. But at the same time, we felt like this is the development plan for the starting quarterback, the most important piece on the team. And we feel like we’re in a good place.”
Mayo has been candid at times about mistakes that he’s made. Following last Sunday’s defeat against the Colts, he cited a reference to not calling timeouts in Super Bowl XLIX.
It was a move he said the next day that he regretted, bluntly reassessing his previous statement by noting, “I should not have said that.”
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The introspectiveness differs considerably from what his predecessor would likely have done in similar circumstances. Where Belichick would have flown past or simply ignored such queries, Mayo has embraced the notion that he is a work in progress.
“I always try to reflect after the games, and now we’re in the bye week, so there’s definitely a chance, an opportunity to reflect on the entire season up until this point and what we need to do going forward. Now in saying that, I still have a lot to learn as well as the head coach of this football team, and I understand that,” acknowledged Mayo. “It’s a very different role. In saying that — I tell the players the same thing — the biggest jump you’ll ever have in your career is from year one to year two, as far as becoming a better player, a better professional.
“I’m sure, 100%, that I will be a better coach in year two than I am in year one,” he continued. “I would also say when you’re out there on the field, for me at least, I’m always trying to do what’s best for the football team, and we’re always trying to win every single football game. Now…are there times when we could’ve been more aggressive? Absolutely.”
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Mayo said he views it as his job to try and protect Patriots coaches and players, and for the buck to stop at his desk.
“I always get up there and take 100% accountability for everything that we do, every decision that is made on the football field, the decisions that I’ve made as far as the roster was concerned in conjunction with Eliot [Wolf],” he explained. “And I appreciate ownership really letting us build this thing out the way we want to.”
On the topic of Patriots ownership, Mayo was asked about his relationship with Robert and Jonathan Kraft.
“We speak all the time,” he said of discussions with the Kraft family. “They’ve been an open book on as far as if I have a question on managing processes or leading people, they have been very open and honest with me in some of those things. It’s going to make me a better coach going forward.”
Curran broached the subject of how conversations with the Krafts go from Mayo’s perspective. The Patriots coach elaborated on how he speaks with ownership.
“We always debrief the games,” Mayo said of postgame talks with the Krafts. “They just want to know at least my thought process, and they absolutely — just like the fans — sometimes don’t agree with the way that the game is going. Obviously when you lose games, the questions are plentiful.
“As the head coach, I have to be able to answer those questions,” he said. “My job is to not only protect the coaches, but protect the players. That’s why I try to take 100% accountability.”
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As for the online criticism of Mayo – which has been persistent with the team struggling — the young head coach offered simple advice for his players.
“You can’t sit there and say, ‘Alright, get off social media.’ But what I’ve found is that [with] the players, or even my kids, or people I’m close to, what really hurts them is when they go through the comments,” Mayo noted. “And I always tell them, ‘Don’t go through the comments.’ Like, Joe Schmo, him telling me that I’m terrible, that’s his opinion.
“What I do know is [that] not everyone’s a Patriots fan, not everyone’s a Jerod Mayo fan, but winning cures all,” added Mayo. “Winning cures all as far as dealing with the trolls.”
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