When the decision was made for Bill Belichick to move on from the Patriots and Jerod Mayo to replace him as the next head coach, it was clear there would be a significant shift in attitude from the coaches and players on the team. During the 20+ years of Belichick's tenure, he was known for being a near perfectionist with a tough-love approach with the players, which led to winning six Super Bowls.
They were tight-lipped with reporters, and New England became known for being not a fun place to play despite their huge wins. It all went back to how Belichick wanted to run the ship, so it made sense that Mayo felt it was time for a change.
That was instituted almost immediately, with the removal of longtime quotes on the locker room walls, a more laid-back atmosphere, and games added to the locker room. It was a player-led culture that signified a new era, which all seemed like a move in a new and, in some ways, better direction, only to eventually fall apart and be a reason for Mayo's demise in Foxboro.
That is a lot of Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed's latest report from the Boston Herald detailing behind-the-scenes drama during the 2024 season.
Jerod Mayo's hope for a new Patriots culture fell flat due to the wrong people being put in big roles
Hoping to start his tenure on the right page, Mayo had several captains named before the start of the season, all of whom had been on the team or the NFL for many years. Problems arose only six weeks in, however, as by that time, four of those named either suffered season-ending injuries or were sidelined for prolonged periods, forcing other players to be put into leadership roles.
That's where problems began that completely derailed any chance the Patriots had to be a solid team for the year. At least one staffer spoke candidly about the situation to Callahan and Kyed, and it's not a good look for the organization then, now, or in the future.
“You get selfish guys like that being the ‘leaders,’ or at least influencers within the locker room,” one staffer said. “It’s (expletive).”
This proves there was far more dysfunction behind the scenes than just an inexperienced coaching staff leading the charge. The players not respecting their coaches or even their teammates, which was called out by some Patriots players throughout the season, is a bad sign of worse times ahead, and it's certainly not an ideal situation for a new coach to walk into.
That's what makes the Krafts process even more important: to be thorough and thoughtfully consider each candidate. The future of the team is going to depend on who is brought in. They will ultimately dictate what the Patriots are known for over the next few years, and getting the team back in order won't be an easy feat.
Fortunately, the top two candidates, Brian Johnson and Mike Vrabel, seem to have what it takes to get the job done.