After another disappointing season in New England, Robert Kraft decided it was time to move on from tenured head coach Bill Belichick, who had held the position and performed the duties of a general manager for the last two decades. That was a shocking yet not entirely unexpected move, as the Patriots had been underwhelming since Tom Brady left in 2020.
But the owner's decision to forgo the typical interview process with head coaching candidates and instead hire Jerod Mayo was more surprising than anything else in the 2024 offseason.
Although Mayo was a respected former player and liked positions coach, his inexperience didn't seem like the best fit for what the Patriots were hoping to accomplish after moving on from an eight-time Super Bowl Champion head coach. His mostly inexperienced staff, which he chose to hire around him, brought out more concerns about the team's immediate future, which has already prompted several questions this season.
Expectations for the 2024 season were low, but the constant head-scratching coaching decisions stand out as one of the worst parts of the year. And after the latest loss in Week 11, fans and reporters are somewhat demanding that Kraft do something about it sooner rather than later.
Robert Kraft needs a more prominent presence behind the scenes to determine the Patriots' fate
Despite hoping the Krafts wouldn't be too involved in football operations now that Belichick was no longer around calling the shots, some are calling for the owners to be more present with what is going on in the best interest of the team, especially the development of rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
That's a point NBC Sports Boston reporter Tom E. Curran spoke about after the Patriots loss to the Rams on Sunday, voicing his thoughts on the Krafts needing to straighten things out after seeing the consistent struggles from the coaching staff.
"The Krafts owe it to the organization, to the region, to themselves, to the entire team to scrutinize everything every single day they go into that office -- especially with their one elite player on the roster. They should go in every day and say, 'Are we doing the best job for Drake Maye?'
"Obviously, that initially goes to Alex Van Pelt, and the perception is it's Alex Van Pelt in the crosshairs. (But) it could be (the Krafts) going in and saying, 'Do we need to boost our offensive line coaching? Do we need to boost our wide receivers coaches? Do we have enough of the right tenor around Drake Maye? Is Jerod doing a good enough job holding feet to the fire? What about Eliot Wolf? What about Matt Groh? Why are we releasing second-round picks have only been on the team for three years?"
This seems to have become more of a talking point since Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer revealed Kraft had been seeking outside advice regarding the right way to proceed with Maye. With that in mind, Curran wants to hear about the Krafts explaining what's going on to the team and the fans.
Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt was one part of those conversations, as he works directly with Maye and is heavily involved in his progression as a young quarterback. He has come under fire multiple times this season due to his questionable play calling, which was among the biggest issues again in Week 11.
Because Maye is already asserting himself as the Patriots next franchise quarterback, it would make the most sense for Kraft to question everything next offseason to make sure the right coaches and players are in place to get the team back on track and give Maye the best chance to be successful long-term in the league.
He saw firsthand what happened with Mac Jones, albeit his talent isn't on the same level as Maye's, and repeating that would be devastating for the historically impressive organization. So Curran is right in wanting to see the Krafts get more involved in what is going on, properly evaluate the current staff, and question whether they're the right ones for the job.