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More On Jerod Mayo’s Firing: Succession Plan, Hiring Process, Stevenson Benching

January 9th, 2025 at 6:02pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots’ succession plan for Bill Belichick clearly didn’t go as planned, as Jerod Mayo was let go after only one ugly season at the helm. However, there were cracks in the organization’s overall plan before Robert Kraft even named Mayo as his head coach.

[RELATED: Patriots Fire Jerod Mayo]

According to Chad Graff of The Athletic, Kraft’s literal succession timeline intended for Mayo to take over in 2025. When Kraft instituted his plan in 2023, he planned to give Belichick two more seasons (allowing the coach to break the all-time wins record) before Mayo would take over the gig.

That obviously didn’t come to fruition, as Belichick’s fractured relationship with the Patriots led to his ouster after that 2023 campaign. Before that, Belichick failed to mentor his successor like the organization expected (Graff notes that Belichick cut off communication with a number of coaches during his final season in New England). So, when Mayo was suddenly thrust into the HC role, he didn’t have the prerequisite mentorship that ownership had hoped for.

That could partly explain Mayo’s unusual approach to his head coaching role. The newly-named head coach first struggled to fill his coaching staff, although he curiously avoided one solution by offering incumbent defensive play-caller Steve Belichick a demotion (which the younger Belichick refused, leading to him taking a DC job at Washington). Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed of The Boston Herald report that some OC candidates were left unimpressed with Mayo’s approach during the interview process, leading to the team opting for their last interviewee in Alex Van Pelt.

Then, once the season began, Mayo reportedly struggled to discipline his players, and Graff passes along an anecdote where Mayo played cards with the players during a plane ride following a loss. Mayo also struggled with some of the seemingly simple tasks that are required from a head coach. For instance, The Boston Herald duo point to Rhamondre Stevenson‘s uncertain status in Week 17. Mayo intended to bench the RB for fumbling issues, and he communicated the lineup change to Van Pelt. The OC never relayed the message to running backs coach Taylor Embree, leading to Stevenson taking the field with the starting offense. Mayo later covered for his coordinator, but there were clear cracks in communication.

While Mayo has been the only Patriots leader to lose their job, executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf has also drawn his fair share of criticism. The front office leader took some accountability for the team’s disappointing 2024 showing while admitting that some of the Patriots’ younger players didn’t develop as expected (specifically WRs Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker).

“I would say that I guess personally, what I was expecting is maybe a little bit more internal development, which is a good lesson certainly heading into next year. And that you can’t always rely on that,” Wolf said (via The Herald). “The rookie receivers didn’t have it really that much for us.”

Aaron Glenn Declines Patriots Interview Request

January 9th, 2025 at 4:14pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

JANUARY 9: Glenn has five HC meetings booked; the Lions DC found time to accommodate a midweek Raiders request. But the invite the Patriots sent will not produce an interview. Glenn declined the New England meeting, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The fourth-year Lions assistant will still meet with the Bears, Jaguars, Jets, Saints and Raiders between tonight and Saturday.

Mike Vrabel is viewed as the clear frontrunner in New England, and he was able to meet in-person with the team today due to not being on a staff presently (those employed by other teams cannot yet meet with teams in-person). Glenn colleague Ben Johnson is on tap to meet about the job Friday, but reporting has continued to place Vrabel in pole position. Glenn may see the writing on the wall and would then devote his efforts to landing one of the other available jobs.

JANUARY 8: The Patriots have submitted a request to interview Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

Glenn has now been requested by all six teams with a head coaching vacancy. He led Detroit’s defense to a top-1o scoring finish this season despite a myriad of injuries at all three levels. The former cornerback already has four interviews scheduled – with the Jets, Saints, Bears, and Jaguars – so he may not have time for two more this weekend while preparing for the Lions’ playoff run.

In place on Dan Campbell‘s staff since 2021, Glenn has seen his unit enjoy a turnaround this year relative to past performances (in certain categories, at least). Between that success and a continued endorsement from Campbell with respect to his head coaching readiness, it comes as little surprise the 52-year-old is one of the most sought-after candidates this year. Glenn’s playing career included time spent with the Jets, Jaguars and Saints, so he has a natural connection to those franchise’s vacancies.

Likewise, the three-time Pro Bowler spent time coaching in New Orleans, and as such he represents a candidate to return to the city during the 2025 hiring cycle. No such connections exist between the Glenn and the Patriots. New England’s list of targets nevertheless continues to grow in the early stages of the process. The Patriots have already satisfied the Rooney Rule with yesterday’s interviews (Byron Leftwich, Pep Hamilton), but meeting with Glenn will add to the number of external minority candidates interviewed for their vacancy.

Jerod Mayo was dismissed on Sunday after his first season as Bill Belichick‘s successor. Former Patriots Mike Vrabel and Brian Flores have been connected to the job, but Glenn is among the top options on the market if owner Robert Kraft elects to go in a different direction with this hire.

Via PFR’s head coaching search tracker, here is an updated look at New England’s search:

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Coaching Notes: Bears, Jaguars, Allen, Patriots, Lake

January 9th, 2025 at 3:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

GM-centric workflow models are more common in the modern NFL than those that start with head coaches, though some teams still have their sideline leaders atop the personnel pyramid. The Bears are not one of them, and it does not sound like they intend to change that after this search concludes. Chairman George McCaskey confirmed (via the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs) the team’s next HC will still report to GM Ryan Poles, who will report to president Kevin Warren.

This will close the door on a coach power play or a change in which both the Bears’ HC and GM would report to Warren. The top-down model being non-negotiable could affect the franchise’s search to some degree, though the Bears have used this setup for a while. Additionally, the Bears’ first round of interviews will be entirely virtual, per The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. This applies to unattached coaches, who are not bound by league rules mandating virtual meetings before January 20, the day after the divisional round wraps.

Here is the latest from the coaching carousel:

  • A Monday report did not make it clear if the Patriots would fire Alex Van Pelt along with Jerod Mayo, but the veteran OC apparently told friends shortly after the Bills matchup he and the HC were each fired, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin notes. This is not yet official, but coordinator statuses can go quiet as teams search for new HCs. Mayo had criticized Van Pelt during the season, leading to hot seat rumors. But the play-caller had drawn praise for his work with Drake Maye. The Patriots should expect plenty of staff turnover, the Globe’s Nicole Yang adds. That is generally the norm, but the Pats retained several staffers following their Bill Belichick-to-Mayo transition.
  • Ben Johnson is set to go through a four-pack of interviews between Friday and Saturday, as summits with the Patriots, Raiders (both Friday) and Bears and Jaguars (Saturday) loom. Buzz around the league points to Johnson being intrigued by the Jacksonville job, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes, but the in-demand assistant might want his own GM. The Lions’ OC has been notoriously picky when it comes to a job, and although more noise has come about him taking one during this cycle, Trent Baalke being retained could throw a wrench into the Jags’ process. It would seem unlikely if the Jags allowed Baalke to remain GM if Johnson preferred that not remain the case, and a Wednesday report indicated the team could be open to kicking Baalke to another role. That said, Fowler adds some among the Jags are skeptical a coach could run a power play to boot Baalke from his four-year post.
  • Not much has come out about Dennis Allen‘s future post-New Orleans, but the recently fired Saints leader may have another DC chance again soon. The Colts have come up as an interested party, Fowler adds, noting the three-year Saints HC should be a candidate for the Indy DC job. The team has yet to conduct an interview, but Allen has been either a head coach or DC for most of the past 14 years. The Saints had played well defensively leading up to this season, with Allen at the helm when the team repaired a porous unit in the late 2010s.
  • No Falcons coordinator changes have come out, but some in the league are keeping an eye on their DC situation, Fowler notes. Raheem Morris did not definitively endorse Jimmy Lake for a second year. Morris brought the former Washington Huskies HC with him from the Rams’ staff, doing the same with OC Zac Robinson. After improving under one-and-done DC Ryan Nielsen, the Falcons dropped to 23rd in scoring defense and yards allowed under Lake, a first-time NFL coordinator.

CB Justin Bethel Retires

January 8th, 2025 at 6:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

Justin Bethel‘s playing days have come to an end. The veteran corner/special teams ace announced his retirement via Instagram on Wednesday.

“23 years. 12 years pro,” Bethel wrote. “That’s how long I’ve played the game of football! Been blessed more than I can imagine. Met a lot of great people thanks to football and been to a lot of cool places. But my greatest years are ahead of me.”

Bethel entered the league as a sixth-round pick of the Cardinals in 2012. He played all 16 games in his rookie year but hardly saw the field on defense. With respect to special teams, though, his 70% snap share showcased his immediate contributions. It was in the third phase that Bethel would go on to make his most notable impact in the NFL. That included three consecutive Pro Bowl nods from 2013-15.

Following a six-year run in Arizona (including the 2017 campaign, in which he logged his heaviest defensive workload), Bethel spent one year with the Falcons. That, in turn, was followed by time with the Ravens, Patriots and Dolphins. He logged a full season in 2023 with Miami but was out of the league this past campaign. Rather than attempting a return for the 2025 season, Bethel has elected to hang up his cleats.

In all, the 34-year-old played 200 combined regular and postseason games in the NFL, collecting five interceptions and 282 tackles along the way. Thanks in large part to his first Cardinals extension, Bethel amassed roughly $20MM in career earnings.

Patriots Arrange Mike Vrabel HC Interview, Met With Pep Hamilton For Job

January 7th, 2025 at 8:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

After being passed over during the 2024 HC carousel, Mike Vrabel missing out this year would be borderline shocking. He has now been tied to every team with a vacancy; that includes the Raiders, who just made their Antonio Pierce firing official.

The Patriots, however, have made the former Super Bowl-winning linebacker and Titans HC their frontrunner. What stands to be a significant meeting is now on tap. Vrabel will meet with his former team Thursday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.

New England has also already brought in another candidate, having met with former Colts and Texans OC Pep Hamilton, Rapoport and NFL.com colleague Tom Pelissero add. This comes after a Byron Leftwich meeting. While it comes across as cynical, the Pats have now satisfied the Rooney Rule requirement that stipulates clubs must meet with two external minority candidates before hiring a head coach. This is not to outright dismiss Leftwich and Hamilton, but neither has coached in the NFL for the past two seasons. The team has announced both interviews, setting the stage for Vrabel.

An expedited process burned the Patriots last year, as they did not interview any other candidates before promoting Jerod Mayo. A quick Vrabel decision would not technically be especially different, but the ex-Patriots defender has obviously proven plenty already. The former NFL Coach of the Year has also drawn widespread interest, as the Patriots are now competing with several teams. However, a report last week pointed to Vrabel being interested in the job. It is also worth wondering if the Patriots would have fired Mayo so quickly had they not known Vrabel was a prime candidate to accept an offer.

The Pats would not be the first team to meet the Rooney Rule requirement and then quickly hire another coach. Although Pierce is Black, the Raiders did so last year, meeting with Leslie Frazier and Kris Richard before quickly removing Pierce’s interim tag. The Pats took the interesting step of inserting language in Mayo’s contract to circumvent the Rooney Rule, naming the Black assistant Bill Belichick‘s successor. The Mayo move did not work out, with Robert Kraft blaming himself for a mistake. It is certainly possible the Pats want a proven commodity to quickly move past that chapter.

It should not be determined a Vrabel New England return is an open-and-shut process, but it would be surprising if the Pats did not offer him the job. Vrabel, 49, spent this past season as a Browns consultant. He took the Titans to three playoff berths, winning two AFC South titles and helping the team to its first AFC championship game since 2002.

A Patriot from 2001-08, the former linebacker/occasional red zone receiving weapon trekked to Foxborough during Tennessee’s bye week last season — an act that did not go over well with Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk — to go into the Patriots’ Hall of Fame. Vrabel sat with Kraft during that ceremony. While the owner passed on an interview last year in elevating Mayo (whom Kraft had said he had deemed Belichick’s successor years ago), it appears the Patriots want this hire to happen soon.

Hamilton, 50, last coached as Texans OC in 2022. Andrew Luck‘s former OC in Indianapolis, Hamilton moved from Houston’s QBs coach in 2021 to the OC role under Lovie Smith a year later. Hamilton, who also helped Justin Herbert to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors as Chargers QBs coach in 2020, is currently working for the NFL Network.

Brian Flores, who worked with the Patriots for 15 years, is also interested in the position. No interview request has gone out. It would, however, be interesting to see if the Pats were still interested in Ben Johnson — who is believed to be prepared to interview — after the Vrabel meeting. It would stand to reason, given the Lions OC’s stock, the Pats would hold off on a Vrabel hire until at least going through the virtual meeting with Johnson.

Vrabel can meet with the Patriots in-person due to not being tied to a team; Johnson can only do so virtually for the time being. The Lions are giving Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn from Thursday to Saturday to do their interviews, SI.com’s Albert Breer adds; they are allowed to do so this week due to Detroit having secured a first-round bye.

Brian Flores To Accept Every Interview Request, Interested In Patriots’ HC Position

January 7th, 2025 at 4:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

Brian Flores‘ first head coaching opportunity came with the Dolphins and lasted three seasons. Since his dismissal in 2021, his oft-discussed NFL experience has resulted in several interviews but no HC gigs as of yet. The 2025 cycle marks the next time in which that could change.

When speaking about his situation on Tuesday, Flores made his intentions clear with respect to the upcoming interview process. The Vikings defensive coordinator said he will meet with every team which submits an interview request. So far, the Bears and Jets have done so; in the wake of the Raiders’ decision to fire Antonio Pierce, there are now four other head coaching vacancies around the league.

“It’s an honor, certainly, that I definitely don’t take that lightly,” Flores said about head coaching interviews (via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert). “I look forward to having those conversations and talking to people about my football journey, my leadership journey.”

As his racial discrimination lawsuit against the NFL and several teams continues to work its way through court, Flores again finds himself in position to speak with suitors for a second HC opportunity. The 43-year-old worked on the Steelers’ staff in 2022 before taking his current position at the helm of Minnesota’s defense. The unit ranked fifth in points allowed this year, while leading the league in interceptions and finishing fifth in sacks. That success has yielded continued interest in the 2025 cycle, although Flores declined to say if he feels his upcoming interviews are set up merely to satisfy the Rooney Rule.

In any case, at least one of the vacancies Flores has not yet been connected to has his attention. The former Patriots staffer indicated he is interested in New England’s vacancy, one which opened on Sunday with Jerod Mayo‘s firing. The former Patriots linebacker was dismissed after one year in charge, and another ex-player (Mike Vrabel) is seen as the top candidate to replace him. Flores joined New England’s staff as a scouting assistant in 2004, and his tenure with the organization included working on special teams and defense through the 2018 season.

“I mean, we’re talking about going home where it all started,” Flores said when asked about potentially interviewing with the Patriots. “So I think that’s a place that’s definitely a special place… So I would say yes [to speaking with the team]. But at the same time, it’s not up to me as to whether or not they would want to talk to me or anything like that.”

Flores’ Dolphins tenure began with a 5-11 season, and it was followed by 10-6 and 9-8 campaigns. His handling of many Miami players – including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa – has been a frequent talking point, along with clashes with general manager Chris Grier. A fresh start remains his goal, though, and it will be interesting to see if the current hiring cycle produces a long list of suitors.

Bengals To Interview Patrick Graham, DeMarcus Covington For DC Job

January 7th, 2025 at 12:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Narrowly missing out on a playoff berth after entering the season with Super Bowl aspirations, the Bengals fired longtime defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo on Black Monday. They are moving on a replacement search quickly.

Cincinnati is look to two candidates who came off worse seasons, in eyeing the Las Vegas and New England staffs. Raiders DC Patrick Graham and Patriots DC DeMarcus Covington received interview slips from the Bengals, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, and both candidates intend to interview.

Graham is set to meet about the position today, while Pelissero notes Covington’s meeting is on tap Wednesday. Teams can block coordinator lateral moves, so long as they do not involve a non-play-calling coordinator receiving that chance elsewhere, but Graham is no longer under contract with the Raiders. He is free to interview. With the Patriots again in transition, they have given Covington permission to make this potential lateral move.

The Patriots made a quick change, firing Jerod Mayo after previously promoting him without conducting a search. With Mayo having promoted Covington from D-line coach, this leaves the 2024 Pats DC on shaky ground. Featuring this century’s most dependable NFL unit (on the whole) during Bill Belichick‘s 24-year run in charge, New England’s defense dropped to 22nd in scoring and yardage under Covington. This came despite Christian Gonzalez‘s return to full strength. The Patriots did trade Matt Judon just before the season, however.

After the Raiders snapped a streak of finishing outside the NFL’s top half in scoring defense for more than 20 years — via the Graham-led unit’s ninth-place result in 2023 — the team closed in the 25th spot this season. That said, Las Vegas’ offense did not give Graham too much to work with; the Raiders ranked 15th in total defense for the second straight year.

Graham, 45, has much more experience — as he has been the DC with the Giants and Dolphins previously — and is on the Jaguars’ HC interview list. Both Graham and Covington, 35, are ex-Belichick assistants; though, they did not overlap in New England. The Bengals will see what each brings to the table soon.

Patriots To Interview Byron Leftwich

January 7th, 2025 at 11:47am CST by Adam La Rose

Byron Leftwich recently confirmed his intention of returning to the NFL, and he has at least one suitor interested in speaking with him about a head coaching position. Leftwich will meet with the Patriots today, Mike Jones of The Athletic reports.

Leftwich spent three seasons working under Bruce Arians in Arizona, and at the end of his Cardinals tenure it came as no surprise the pair reunited in Tampa Bay. The former first-round quarterback worked as the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator from 2019-22. Since then, however, Leftwich has been out of coaching.

The 44-year-old generated some interest in the coaching ranks recently, but he has had his eye on a new NFL opportunity. Tampa Bay enjoyed notable offensive success for much of Letwich’s tenure, but after Arians was replaced as head coach by Todd Bowles the unit took a step back during the 2022 campaign. Leftwich interviewed for the Ravens’ OC position in 2023, and one year later he made clear his interest in reuniting with Mike Tomlin by taking on the offensive coordinator spot in Pittsburgh. The 2025 hiring cycle marks his next opportunity to receive a look.

Leftwich does not have head coaching experience, but he has been connected to HC openings before. Reports emerged in 2022 stating he was a candidate for the Jaguars’ head coaching position, with perceived tension with general manger Trent Baalke ultimately leading the team in another direction. Leftwich has since denied that he was ever offered the position, one which – as of yesterday – is once again open.

The Patriots had a 24-year run with Bill Belichick at the helm, and his successor took over last offseason. Jerod Mayo was long viewed as Belichick’s heir apparent, with a succession clause being added to his contract to prevent the team from needing to conduct an outside search. After one year at the helm, Mayo was dismissed, leaving owner Robert Kraft and the team’s front office (which will remain intact) to start over.

To no surprise, Mike Vrabel is seen as the top candidate for New England’s vacancy. Like Mayo, Vrabel has a past as a former Patriots player, and Kraft is known to hold him in high regard. The team must meet with at least two external minority candidates as part of the search process to satisfy the Rooney Rule, and Leftwich will qualify in that respect. That is not the case for Lions OC Ben Johnson, who is expected to interview with New England. Leftwich will join him in terms of candidates with an offensive background as the Patriots seek out a coach capable of developing quarterback Drake Maye over the short- and long-term future.

Mike Vrabel Seen As Patriots’ Top HC Target

January 6th, 2025 at 10:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots did not wait for ‘Black Monday’ to arrive when making the decision to fire Jerod Mayo. His tenure as head coach ended after only season, and New England is now one of five teams in need of a new coach.

Interview requests have started coming out, and the Patriots are set to meet with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. The most sought-after candidate in the 2025 cycle will have a number of other suitors, but the Patriots have of course been heavily linked to Mike Vrabel. The former New England linebacker is, to no surprise, considered the top name to watch as the team’s search takes place.

[RELATED: Patriots To Retain Eliot Wolf, Front Office Staff]

Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston notes it is “safe to presume” Vrabel is the top option for the Patriots as they seek out Mayo’s replacement. Meanwhile, Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal adds six executives from around the league believe Vrabel will wind up being hired by New England. The former Titans coach spent much of the 2024 campaign as a consultant with the Browns, but his contract recently expired, leaving him free to interview with interested teams.

That has already seen Vrabel meet with the Jets, a team which has expressed interest in adding experience on the sidelines and in the front office. Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager reports that interview went “very well,” and the Patriots could have competition from inside and outside the AFC East as a result. The Saints have been named as a team to watch regarding a Vrabel interview, while the presence of Tom Brady fueled a recent report stating the Raiders’ top option to replace Antonio Pierce would be Vrabel. At this point, though, Pierce remains in place as Vegas’ coach.

Vrabel played 14 years in the NFL, including eight with the Patriots. The three-time Super Bowl champion is held in high regard by owner Robert Kraft and New England’s front office; as such, connections have long been made between the two. Vrabel, 49, was in charge of the Titans from 2018-23 in a stretch which included Coach of the Year honors in 2021.

Tennessee reached the playoffs three straight seasons under Vrabel, but the last two years of his tenure resulted in a combined record of 13-21. Brian Callahan was brought in last offseason as a replacement, and while the Titans bottomed out to the point of landing the top pick in the upcoming draft he appears safe to coach at least one more year. Given the relative dearth of known commodities in the 2025 coaching cycle, Vrabel’s stock remains high.

It will be interesting to see if the Mayo firing is quickly followed by a serious Vrabel pursuit. Kraft could be cautioned against bringing in another ex-player in the wake of Mayo’s struggles, but for now it would come as no surprise if he were to take that route again.

Patriots To Retain Eliot Wolf, Front Office Staff

January 6th, 2025 at 6:09pm CST by Ben Levine

While the Patriots are set to revamp their coaching staff, it sounds like the front office will be staying intact. During his press conference today, owner Robert Kraft revealed that executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and his staff will be sticking around for the 2025 campaign (via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald). Wolf and top front office executive Alonzo Highsmith will also be involved in the team’s head coaching search (via Kyed).

As the Patriots navigated a post-Bill Belichick era, they chose Wolf as the leader of their new-look front office. The executive did have one major hit during his first year at the helm, with third-overall pick Drake Maye appearing to be a foundational piece. However, the front office drew criticism for the rest of their draft class, and Kraft acknowledged that the team needs stronger performances from rookie-contract players if they hope to return to contention.

“Our drafts have not been good for a while,” Kraft said (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com). “If you want to compete long term and be good in this league, you’ve got to have good drafts because those rookie contracts allow you to go out and get the people you need to surround people. It looks like we lucked out; we maybe have two quarterbacks. But I think we’ll hopefully see a big improvement this year.”

While the likes of Wolf and Highsmith are expected to keep their jobs, Albert Breer of SI.com expects there to still be significant changes to the front office operations. After Belichick was responsible for running so many aspects of the front office for years, the organization was left with an antiquated approach when the dust settled following the iconic coach’s ouster. Breer opines that the Krafts put the front office at a disadvantage by not providing the same resources as other NFL teams, with the writer suggesting that ownership could look to “add elements of analytics and sport science” to their operations.

While many of these subtle changes will take place behinds the scenes, the Patriots’ search for their next head coach will be very public. Ownership is expected to be heavily involved in the search, as are the aforementioned front office executives. Breer notes that the team isn’t expected to hire a search firm to assist in the process.

As we await word on the team’s interview process, we’ll starting to hear some details about Mayo’s sudden firing, with Tom E. Curran of NBCSports Boston noting that the final four games of the season played a significant role in the decision. Curran says the past month was “untenable,” and while the team didn’t initially anticipate moving on from their first-year head coach, the “disorganization became too much to take.”

Kraft himself told reporters that he went back and forth on the decision over the past month. Ultimately, the owner believed the squad showed regression throughout the 2024 campaign, with Kraft citing the season-opening win over the Bengals as the high point of the year. Kraft also revealed that Mayo didn’t know about his impending firing prior to the season finale; the head coach ended up guiding his squad to victory while also compromising the team’s chances at the first-overall pick (links via Kyed).

While a new head coach will presumably look to bring on their own staff, there’s still a chance a few key assistants stick around. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt didn’t get a whole lot of production from his unit in 2024, but the coach did earn praise for his handling of Maye’s development. If Van Pelt is ultimately canned by the Patriots, Breer believes the coach could land back in Cleveland, where he served as OC between 2020 and 2023.

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