A new report offers more proof for why the New England Patriots‘ making Jerod Mayo their head coach in 2024 was an all-time bad decision.
When Mayo was picked as the successor to iconic Patriots head coach Bill Belichick two years ago, the news wasn’t surprising. There was reportedly an agreement placed in his 2023 extension that the New England assistant coach would be next in line after the eight-time Super Bowl winner.
However, after a 4-13 finish the year before, a case could have been made to forego that agreement — and whatever penalties came with it — clean house, and bring in a different approach. Not a man with no head coaching experience, who was nicknamed “Bill. Jr.”
But the team kept its word and let Mayo take over for the 2024 season. He was just as bad as his predecessor and finished his debut season with the same 4-13 record. That was enough for New England, and they ousted Mayo to replace him with two-time Coach of the Year winner, and former Pats star, Mike Vrabel.
Jerod Mayo taking an investment job?
That ended up being the right move as Vrabel led the Patriots to a Super Bowl appearance in his first year as head coach. While that was a great decision for the organization, the hiring of Mayo continues to look like the worst in team history.
After his ouster as head coach, Mayo didn’t take a job with another team like most passionate football men would do as they attempt to rebuild their reputation. No, he pretty much stayed away from the game ever since. Not a great look for the Patriots since they gave him the most important job on the football side of the organization.
Well, we got more proof of how bad a hire Mayo was this weekend. According to the two-time Pro Bowler’s LinkedIn account, he has taken a job as a managing director at Fifth Down Capital, which is a private equity and business capital firm.
Mayo did similar work after his playing career ended in 2015 and before he was lured back to New England by Belichick in 2019. The fact that he didn’t want to continue his NFL career and chose to go back to the business world makes one wonder what the Patriots or even Belichick, for that matter, saw in him to be one of 32 NFL head coaches.
