The Patriots lost another game Sunday, but a certain troubling trend was bucked in Buffalo.
Unlike several other postgame media availabilities before Week 16, Jerod Mayo didn’t talk himself into a mess after New England suffered a 24-21 defeat at Highmark Stadium. The Patriots head coach leaned into brevity but still managed to be insightful. While Mayo might have made a concerted effort to keep it concise following his trainwreck in Arizona, one New England Super Bowl champion believed the polished press conference was a product of training.
“Oh, somebody’s been working with him,” former tight end Christian Fauria said on WBZ’s “Fifth Quarter” on Sunday, as transcribed by MassLive. “Because everyone reads too much into what you say. You’re constantly trying to re-explain yourself. So he wasn’t giving anybody anything to write.”
Mayo did himself well with a better handling of the media, but the positivity surrounding the first-year coach also was boosted by his players. Multiple New England leaders, including quarterback Drake Maye, vocalized staunch support of Mayo as rumors swirled about his job security.
So, despite the Patriots’ on-field struggles and Mayo’s consistent missteps behind microphones, it doesn’t seem like the former linebacker has lost the locker room.
