The New England Patriots had an internal motive to make a statement on Sunday after head coach Jerod Mayo labeled the team “soft” after a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
They did that with a 25-22 comeback win over the New York Jets. The Patriots took the lead in the final minute of the game, showing “resilience” that sparked the appreciation of their head coach. The previous message dominated headlines but did not cause the players to lose focus.
“Nobody took it personal,” Christian Gonzalez told reporters, per team-provided video. “It’s a challenge.