FOXBORO -- Details are coming out about Jerod Mayo's approach during his one and only season as head coach of the New England Patriots. It sounds like Mayo went a bit too far in his quest to bring a different attitude and method than his predecessor, Bill Belichick.
Mayo was certainly a player's coach in New England, but as outlined by The Athletic's Chad Graff on Wednesday, he may have forgotten that his first priority was to be a head coach. Following the team's 30-17 loss to the Cardinals in Arizona, Mayo spent the plane ride back to New England playing cards with players instead of breaking down film with the rest of the coaching staff:
On a night when the frustration over a terrible performance had some wondering if their jobs were about to be in jeopardy, it was surprising to at least one person at the front of the plane to see the head coach mingling with players in such a casual way.