The NFL on average has 6.2 head-coaching jobs available every January. A few teams get head starts and make the move during the season – three have fired coaches this year. And after the regular-season finale, one surprise team shocks everyone, including the coach himself. According to The Athletic NFL insider Dianna Russini, the Patriots will not be part of that group. Jerod Mayo will reportedly return for in 2025.
That means continuity for the No. 3 overall selection in the 2024 draft, Drake Maye, who leads the Patriots (3-10) at Arizona (6-7) on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS). It also means New England will use another high draft pick to build around the talented rookie within Mayo’s culture.
“While there hasn’t been a public vote of confidence for the head coach from the Kraft family, Patriots leadership is standing by Mayo,” Russini wrote Saturday. “Just as discussions about the next NFL hiring cycles heat up, team owner Robert Kraft has privately assured those close to him that he’s committed to giving his first-year head coach the time and resources he needs to grow into the role.”
Obviously, every team that finishes in disappointing fashion needs to contemplate coaching changes. So, what happens to those teams and rookie quarterbacks who go the Patriots’ route, keeping the staff in place? What happens to those teams who move on after the quarterbacks’ rookie seasons?
Since the NFL expanded to 32 teams and realigned divisions in 2002, clubs have drafted 70 quarterbacks in the first round. Of those 70, only six did not start as rookies; 64 made at least one start during their rookie campaigns. And of those 64:
- 19 saw their teams replace their head coaches within 12 months after they drafted them.
- Eight of those 19 led the teams that drafted them to the playoffs under new head coaches: Jared Goff, Rex Grossman, Justin Herbert, Daniel Jones, Trevor Lawrence, Marcus Mariota, Baker Mayfield and Mitchell Trubisky).
- Six of those 19 led the teams that drafted them to playoff victories under new head coaches (Goff, Grossman, Jones, Lawrence, Mariota and Mayfield).
Kevin Stefanski will reportedly return in 2025. And Jerry Jones the general manager along with Dak Prescott appear to be lobbying Jerry Jones the owner to sign Mike McCarthy to a new contract.
The NFL currently has three head-coaching vacancies: New Orleans, Chicago and the New York Jets. Ten more could be replaced or retire depending on many factors over the next 3-4 weeks: Shane Steichen, Mike McDaniel, Zac Taylor, Doug Pederson, Antonio Pierce, Sean McVay, Todd Bowles, Raheem Morris, Dave Canales and Brian Daboll. FOX says five of those are sitting on extremely warm chairs.
It’s a tough time on the calendar for coaches and their families. Sadly, it’s one of the NFL’s oldest traditions. Just ask Frank Coughlin, head coach of the Rock Island Independents, fired in the middle of a game against the Cardinals in 1921.
For more information on the Patriots and Cardinals, visit the New England and Arizona team sites at ProFootballPost.com.
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Mayo should be demoted to his previous position and a better head coach take his place.