The Patriots made the right decision to move on from Jerod Mayo after a disaster of a 4-13 season that ended Sunday. That is pretty clear. What is also clear is that Mayo, who was hired one day after the organization parted ways with Bill Belichick last January, was set up to fail.
Mayo had been the "coach in waiting" for about five years. Robert and Jonathan Kraft didn't bother having a legitimate coaching search after Belichick was let go. Mayo's hiring and the subsequent disaster of a roster that was assembled for him were a hot mess right from the get-go. He's being compared to Bobby Valentine in the context of one-and-done head coaching failures in Boston sports. Mayo is the first one-and-done Patriots coach since Rod Rust in 1990.
Those factors are why the Krafts need to have a legitimate search for a head coach this time around.
The Patriots can't afford to whiff on another head coach search this year
With a surefire franchise quarterback in Drake Maye on a rookie contract and the most salary cap space in the league this offseason, this is a decision the Patriots can't afford to fumble on the way they did last offseason.
According to senior NFL reporter Albert Breer, the organization will not turn to a search firm. The Krafts will ultimately run the operation, with others likely to be involved. Mike Vrabel and Ben Johnson are among the leading candidates, as they should be. Vrabel has already interviewed with the Jets and is easily the hottest head coaching commodity in the league.
But, this is a process that warrants time. It can't be rushed. The Patriots are expected to dive right into this over the course of the week. They've already asked the Lions for permission to interview Johnson
The Patriots can't just settle on the first candidate. There was an exception with Mayo's hiring due to a succession plan in his contract while he was the team's linebackers coach under Belichick. Even with that being the case, the Patriots should've had a legitimate coaching search last offseason. The fact that they ultimately settled on Mayo without having a legitimate search just makes the Krafts look bad.
It hasn't been a bright few years for the organization since Tom Brady left for greener pastures in 2020. The Patriots have an unacceptable 8-26 record over the last two seasons, but despite that, New England could be an attractive destination for a head coach.
The Patriots have their quarterback in Maye on a rookie contract. They have decent draft capital and the most salary cap space in the NFL to bring in blue-chip free agents.
But the Krafts can't bungle this. This is a process that warrants time. It's essential that guys other than Vrabel or Johnson get interviews, so the organization can explore every avenue. Maye's development is a key factor that relies on it. As is the organization's future. Fans are tired of the losing.
The Patriots cannot fumble the ball on this one.