Patriots

“Hopefully these guys know that I care about them not only as football players but as men.”

By Hayden Bird

December 23, 2024 | 2:41 p.m

2 minutes to read

Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo faced some criticism following the departure of Bill Belichick, going just 3-12 in 15 games in his first season.

And while Mayo’s job status through 2025 reportedly looks pretty secure, the embattled rookie coach has gained one of the most important voices in the locker room.

Quarterback Drake Maye, who (like Mayo) is a rookie, defended the head coach and the rest of New England’s coaching staff after Sunday’s 24-21 loss to the Bills.

“I’m just trying to tune out that noise,” Maye said when asked about the narratives swirling around the team’s coaches. “I think it’s a lot of conversations about our coaching staff and stuff like that. To be honest, I think it’s pretty nonsense. Coach Mayo, like I said, we’ve supported him and he’s training hard. He wants to win. We all want to win. We’re all frustrated.”

It was a strong endorsement from Maye, who demonstrated his talent and potential in an up-and-down rookie season.

On Monday, Mayo was asked about his quarterback’s comments.

“It means a lot. It means a lot,” Mayo told reporters. “Hopefully these guys know that I care about them not only as football players but as men. That has always been my message and it has remained consistent throughout the year. I care about these guys as men and I need to continue to improve so we can get in the win column and move forward.”

Maye wasn’t the only Patriot to vocally support the coaches. Tight end Hunter Henry said he “loves” playing for Mayo and Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.

On the field, the Patriots played a high-level game for a quarter. But after taking a 14-0 lead early in the first half, New England couldn’t sustain the offense. Finally, the home team Bills managed to turn the tide and win. While Maye, Mayo and the Patriots had some moments of progress in the game, that doesn’t disguise the end result.

“To be honest, I don’t believe in good losses,” Mayo said of the loss in Buffalo. “I think you can learn a lot from the game.

“Look, we’re on the right track,” he added, “but it’s all about consistency and we have to do that one defeat at a time, one game at a time, to be successful in this league. “ .”