The Patriots' 2024 season was a bumpy one, to put it kindly, and it resulted in Robert Kraft deciding to fire Jerod Mayo after just one year as the head coach. It seemed like a long time coming, as issues began to arise before the regular season even began, but it wasn't a move that was taken lightly, even if analysts and fans felt it was the right move.
Mayo had long been lauded as a head coach in waiting, and that was why it was reportedly put into the new contract he was given the year before. Players and his fellow Patriots coaches raved about the kind of coach he would eventually become, and it would be fair to say he was given that opportunity a bit prematurely.
While he could still be a great coach in the future, the 2024 season wasn't his time, especially stepping into the massive shoes of Bill Belichick immediately after his departure. It would have been an impossible role for even the most experienced coach to succeed the legend, so Mayo was doomed from the start.
Since he was let go earlier this year, he has kept a low profile and has not been heard from other than some periodic speculation from Boston reporters. That changed over the weekend, as he was finally seen for the first time since leaving the Patriots.
Jerod Mayo makes his first public appearance after his departure from the Patriots earlier this year
During a college football-filled Saturday, Mayo made an appearance at his alma mater, the University of Tennessee, for their matchup with the Georgia Bulldogs.
It was the first time he has been seen since he was abruptly let go from New England eight months ago.
VFL Jerod Mayo in the house 🫡 pic.twitter.com/s39zXWB9qY
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) September 13, 2025
It was a wild Saturday afternoon for the Vols, as the game was a back-and-forth effort from both teams, resulting in an overtime clash with the Bulldogs walking out the winners.
It made for an even more interesting landscape for Mayo to make his first appearance, and had a lot of Patriots fans talking. Most of the conversation wasn't very friendly, as many fans are still upset about what happened during the 2024 season.
However, there are a lot of factors to consider when reflecting on Mayo's lone season as the team's head coach and why his tenure went the way it did. It's not entirely fair to place all the blame for the season's failures solely on his shoulders, and hopefully, if he wants to continue coaching, he will have that opportunity again in the future.
There's a reason so many players and coaches believed he would be a solid coach at some point in his career, so if he hopes to further himself on that path, it would be nice to see him given the chance again.