Patriots owner Robert Kraft takes responsibility after firing Jerrod Mayo: 'I take all the blame'

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft released a statement Sunday night regarding the firing of manager Jerrod Mayo, believing it was the right decision to make after just one season in the position.

Now, Kraft is focused on expediting his search for a new head coach after parting ways with Bill Belichick before the 2024 season.

But before discussing this plan, Kraft took charge after another 4-13 campaign.

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“This whole situation is my fault,” Kraft told reporters via ESPN on Monday. “I feel terrible for Jerod because I put him in an untenable situation. I know he has all the tools to succeed in this league as a head coach. He just needed more time to take office.”

“At the end of the day, I'm a fan of this team first and now I have to go find a coach who can get us back to the playoffs and hopefully get us to a championship.”

Teams are already making calls to potential head coaching candidates, and the Patriots aren't wasting any time.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith on Patriots' firing of Jerod Mayo: 'There's a reason they call it Black Monday'

New England has contacted the Detroit Lions regarding a formal request for a meeting with star offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. And, of course, Kraft was asked about Mike Vrabel, another former player who has far more experience as a head coach in the NFL than Mayo, who led the team for the first time.

When asked about Vrabel, who most recently was head coach of the Tennessee Titans and will be fired after the 2023 season, Craft said, “There's some great guys that we've heard about.” “We want to meet everyone and then respond. We want to interview as many people as possible that we think can help us get to the position we want to be in.”

New England Patriots head coach Jerrod Mayo looks at the scoreboard during a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on December 22, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Mark Konezny-Imagn Images)

Kraft's son Jonathan, who serves as team president, will be involved in this process, as well as senior human resources officer Alonzo Highsmith and executive vice president of player personnel Elliott Wolfe. Kraft's front office will also remain the same during this supervisory transition.

Mayo's final game as a head coach had implications for the NFL Draft, as the Patriots, who had the No. 1 overall pick, lost a breakout game to Joe Milton III's Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Now, they will pick the No. 4 overall pick in April.

But Kraft said the former New England linebacker was informed of the decision after the game and didn't seem concerned about Mayo leading the Patriots to end the season with a final victory.

“At the end of the day, I'm a fan of this team first and now I have to go find a coach who can get us back to the playoffs and hopefully get us to a championship,” Robert Kraft said. spoke. (Brian Fluharty-USA Today Sports)

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“He was a man,” Kraft said of Mayo's reaction to the firing. “Look, this was one of the hardest things I've had to do in my life because I had so much love for him. And I believe in him. I wish he had more experience. I truly believe that if we put in the effort, we will be successful.''He was a gentleman, so he accepted me as such. ”

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