Jerod Mayo had a roller-coaster season as the former coach of the New England Patriots.
A new report sheds light on a particular moment when Mayo even surprised his staff with his behavior after the crushing road loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
The Patriots were already spiraling on a three-game losing streak before taking on the Cardinals. However, they were also on a bye week and coming off a nail-biting 25-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. There was hope that they’d come prepared to play with an extra week of rest.
Unfortunately, the team played uninspired football in the desert, and they ended up losing the game by a 30-17 margin.
On the plane ride back home, while most of the assistant coaches were watching film, Mayo was reportedly playing cards.
The Athletic’s Chad Graff wrote:
But in a move that surprised some at the front of the plane after such a lopsided loss, according to a team source, Mayo, the team’s first-year head coach who had been handpicked by owner Robert Kraft to succeed Bill Belichick, left his spot near the front and went back to where some players had gathered to play cards, choosing to hang out there while his assistants watched film.
Mayo was swiftly fired by the Patriots after their Week 18 win over the Buffalo Bills in the regular season finale. It’s shocking that the handpicked coach by owner Robert Kraft only lasted a year at the job.
Now, the Patriots must undergo a head coaching search for a second straight year.
