The Patriots face a tough final three games, and it could decide Jerod Mayo’s future.
New England faces the Buffalo Bills twice and the Los Angeles Chargers to end the regular season. It seems likely Mayo will be given another chance next season, but recent reports cast doubt on that. Robert Kraft and Jonathan Kraft reportedly want to see if Mayo can show “improvements” in the final three games before deciding on his future.
What could they possibly want to see in three games that they haven’t through the majority of the season?
These recent reports read like Robert Kraft seeking confirmation bias on a decision he made five years ago. The Patriots owner pontificated about how Mayo was the right man to replace Bill Belichick and how impressed he was after an international trip. We’ve seen from “The Dynasty” docuseries and his reported efforts to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame that Kraft is protective of his legacy. He sure would look foolish if his hand-picked hire flamed out after one season, right?
Jonathan Kraft is no proven genius, but the reports do frame him as the lead man questioning his father’s decision-making. That was plain as day in Week 15 when he was caught calling out Alex Van Pelt’s play-calling. Again, it’s arguable if Kraft is the right guy to be making these kinds of calls, but it does feel like he’s sensing the pressure from the media and fan base. After all, having Belichick and his loyalists call you out week after week must not feel good. And with Tom Brady entering the ownership space, the Patriots need to produce results.
So we have to ask again, what does Robert Kraft need to see in three games that would minimize the dysfunction fans saw that led to New England’s 3-11 record heading into Week 16?
The Patriots can’t afford to mess up Drake Maye, who’s looking like a legit franchise quarterback. It’d be a bad look to let Mike Vrabel turn around a different franchise. And if Ben Johnson takes his offensive genius someplace else, you’re left wondering what could have been.
Kraft clearly has a close bond with Mayo, but if he’s as good of a businessman as the propaganda he puts out portrays him, he needs to let those feelings go. The 83-year-old needs to either admit he made a mistake or lay out a clear plan to fix the team next season.
