Mr. Kraft Wastes Zero Time Firing Jerod Mayo
Say what you will about Mr. Kraft. Over the last 12 months, many have. I've personally taken metric fucktons of grief from friends and internet strangers for not going all ad hominem with personal attacks as the franchise he saved 30 years ago and built into an empire has declined into one of the worst in all of sports. But this decision validates my continued support of the Kraft family's ownership.
In short, this decision proves the Krafts get it. They understand their fan base because long before Kraft the Elder made a $175 million impulse purchase (without the knowledge or consent of Mrs. Kraft), they were part of that fan base. They're not some venture capitalists, nouveau riche looking for a tax dodge or some Lucky Spermers searching for a vanity project to look cool. They're Patriots fans to the core, who hate this latest downward trajectory of their team as much, if not more, than any of the rest of us. And were willing to do whatever it took to right the wrong.
We all need to appreciate how hard this had to have been. Going all the way back to last January when Mr. Kraft fired the greatest coach in history, the architect of his Dynasty, and replaced him with a total newcomer who had never even been a coordinator before. Fast-tracking Jerod Mayo to the most important role in his organization was a bold move. It was on him and him alone. If you don't respect how hard it is for a rich, successful person to admit his mistakes, you simply don't understand how the world works.
Moguls like him tend to insulate themselves. To surround themselves with a thick castle wall of Yes Men and suckups. To misquote scripture, it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a billionaire to admit a decision he spent five years making didn't work out. By firing Jerod Mayo before most Patriots fans had even sat down to dinner, is exactly that. Admitting he was wrong, and immediately rectifying the mistake.
Ask yourself how many professional sports franchise owners or CEOs in any field of endeavor would be so forthcoming about a huge decision they made blowing up in their face:
“After the game today, I informed Jerod Mayo that he will not be returning as the head coach of the New England Patriots in 2025. For me, personally, this was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made. I have known Jerod for 17 years. He earned my respect and admiration as a rookie in 2008 and throughout his career for his play on the field, his leadership in the locker room and the way he conducted himself in our community. When he joined our coaching staff, his leadership was even more evident, as I saw how the players responded to him. When other teams started requesting to interview him, I feared I would lose him and committed to making him our next head coach. Winning our season-opener on the road at Cincinnati only strengthened my convictions. Unfortunately, the trajectory of our team’s performances throughout the season did not ascend as I had hoped.
"Since buying the team, I have always considered myself and my family as custodians of a public asset. We have tremendous fans who expect and deserve a better product than we have delivered in recent years. I apologize for that. I have given much thought and consideration as to what actions I can take to expedite our return to championship contention and determined this move was the best option at this time. I am grateful for Jerod’s many contributions to the New England Patriots throughout his career and will always be rooting for his success. I appreciate all his hard work and hope the experiences gained will help him in the future, as I still believe he will be a successful head coach in this league. I wish Jerod and his family nothing but success in the future.”
Or imagine one moving so swiftly to cut their losses and move on. Forget it. You can't. This is what makes this ownership so successful. One of the many things
Again I find myself posting this real quick with the understanding I'll spend the next 24 hours posting updates in what promises to be a fast-moving stream of Patriots news. Just know that we're facing yet another uncertain offseason, with the 3rd overall draft pick, hundreds of millions in cap room to spend, and a new braintrust trying to bring the great times back again. I hope it'll be Mike Vrabel, but that remains to be seen. And I'll repeat what I've said before. Strap in. It's going to be a wild couple of days in these parts. Today certainly has been.