Kraft takes blame: I put Mayo in 'untenable' situation
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was remorseful as he took full responsibility for Jerod Mayo's head coaching tenure lasting only one season.
"This whole situation is on me," Kraft told media Monday, including team reporter Evan Lazar. "I feel terrible for Jerod because I put him in an untenable situation."
The Patriots fired Mayo on Sunday following a 4-13 campaign. Mayo was hired as Bill Belichick's successor last year, with Kraft saying at the time that he had the "same conviction" hiring Mayo as he did Belichick.
Kraft acknowledged Monday that Mayo "needed more time" but still believes he has "all the tools" to be a great head coach, according to Zack Cox of The Boston Herald.
He called firing the man who he tabbed to succeed Belichick "the hardest decision I've ever had to make," per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
"It was not easy," Kraft explained, according to Cox. "He was a gentleman and accepted it that way.”
The Mayo era got off to a good start with a surprise victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. However, New England won only three more games this season, including a victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday that cost the Patriots the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Front office executives Eliot Wolf and Alonzo Highsmith will work together to find the Patriots' next head coach, according to Kraft.
Kraft declined to comment on rumors that Mike Vrabel was near the top of his wish list for the Patriots' next head coach, saying he needs to see the full scope of candidates first, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The Patriots also reportedly requested to interview Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson for their opening.
New England has finished last in the AFC East in consecutive seasons, posting a combined 8-26 record since 2023. The Patriots have also missed the playoffs in three straight years. Their next head coach will have the luxury of promising 22-year-old quarterback Drake Maye, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 draft, and over $130 million in projected cap space.