Jerod Mayo's flubbed announcement is concerning for Patriots future

When the Patriots unexpectedly announced that Jerod Mayo would be holding a press conference early Thursday morning, it was apparent to almost everyone what was going to be discussed. The head coach was likely to reveal the decision regarding the starting quarterback, who most assumed would be Jacoby Brissett.

That is ultimately what he revealed, in a record quick presser that didn't allow really any questions. It was a drawn-out decision that could have been announced much sooner, especially since the assumption since Brissett was signed in free agency was that he would be the bridge quarterback for the team moving forward.

But the constant back and forth about proclaiming the veteran was the starter and then emphasizing it was still a competition led fans astray, which became a talking point taken from the presser.

The focus then shifted to how the head coach made the announcement, as a noticeable flub caught the attention of most everyone listening.

Jerod Mayo might have revealed the inner workings of the Patriots decision making

Throughout the summer, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, and VP of player personnel Eliot Wolf all stated that Brissett was the starter. While they remained complimentary of Drake Maye, they didn't veer from naming the veteran as the QB1 for the team this fall.

The head coach was the only one who began to show that might not be 100% the truth, reiterating it was still a competition and even admitting the rookie outplayed Brissett after the preseason finale.

So when he was announcing that Brissett would be the starter, his apparent shift in who was ultimately making the decision from being collective to just on his shoulders couldn't be ignored and brought up questions about what's going on behind the scenes in Foxboro.

"It's a process, as far as selecting who the starting quarterback is. We have decided -- or I have decided -- that Jacoby Brissett will be our starting quarterback this season."

The "we have decided -- or I have decided" statement stands out more than anything else in the 90-second press conference.

Rumors have circulated about who really makes the calls in New England, and given Mayo seemingly "talking out of both sides of his mouth" since his head coaching tenure began, many believe someone else is pulling the strings, which seemed to be proven on Thursday morning.

Based on what we've seen and heard, it seems fair to assume that Mayo doesn't have much say in what's going on with the roster but is expected to take responsibility for it all when speaking to the media. That was made apparent on Wednesday when he responded to reporter's questions about the upcoming quarterback announcement, sounding like Bill Belichick with the "if it doesn't work, blame me" comment.

Maybe it all boils down to Robert Kraft hoping to have kept Belichick through the alleged end of his contract, which was said to be through the 2024 season. He planned to have Mayo take over head coaching duties in 2025, giving him another season to learn from the legendary coach before taking over on his own.

Could this be a sign that they don't fully believe Mayo was ready for the job?

Is it more about being a collaborative effort but not portraying it that way to the media?

It's hard to say, but it doesn't appear to be working in Mayo's favor so far. It's bringing up more questions than answers and even some frustration from the fans and reporters. It's also not a good look for your new head coach, who should appear confident and trusted, not unsure and doubted.

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