Patriots fire Jarod Mayo so could Belichick come back?

Welp, that was that. Seems like NFL coaches, like NBA ones, need to learn the art of tanking games.

In his first season as head coach of New England, Jerod Mayo was canned like tuna by franchise owner Robert Kraft on Sunday after the Pats beat the Buffalo Bills instead of intentionally losing and securing the No.1 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft. Now they'll pick fourth.

Sure, the Pats coach and squad suffered through a difficult season (4-13) but that's what happens in the NFL when you don't have a reliable quarterback and make poor draft picks.

Kraft clearly hasn't gotten over his breakups with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. We'll get to Bill in a bit.

But here's what Kraft lamely had to say after the surprising firing.

"For me, personally, this was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made," owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. "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."

Ugh. Maybe reconsider this, per NBC Sports.

ESPN.com's Mike Reiss breaks down all the reasons Mayo was fired, but c'mon, Kraft. Looks like a snappish, impatient move to me.

Back to Bill. Everyone says Mike Vrabel will become New England's next head coach and that may be true but know these facts:

Belichick's contract with the Tar Heels allows him to return to the NFL after June 1, 2025, when his buyout drops from $10 million to $1 million.

This means he could leave before coaching one game for the Tar Heels, but it's unlikely an NFL team would hire him that late in the offseason.

Is it though? That one person would be Kraft.

Some have wondered the whole time that when Belichick signed with UNC, he was simply grabbing a gig and waiting for a return to the NFL. Belichick sounds sincere about taking over a college program because he thinks he can turn a program around with the help of NIL and the transfer portal.

Maybe.

But if Kraft comes calling him, begging him back, bet your life savings that Belichick will listen and demand a huge salary.

Patriots fire Jerod Mayo so could Belichick come back?

By Ty Bronicel | Jan 5, 2025