Per Jason Ounpraseuth of NESN, reporter Evan Lazar of the New England Patriots’ website raised eyebrows when he said during the latest edition of the “Catch 22” podcast that the team’s locker room was “teetering on mutiny,” in part because first-year head coach Jerod Mayo continues to play struggling veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett over promising rookie Drake Maye.
Mayo spoke with reporters on Friday and said he hadn’t “heard” Lazar’s words. The coach was subsequently asked if he feels “like there’s frustration in the locker room” as 1-3 New England prepares to host the 1-3 Miami Dolphins this Sunday.
“It’s always frustrating when you’re not winning,” Mayo acknowledged, as shared by Chris Mason of MassLive. “The guys put a lot of work in and everyone wants to try to find a solution right now while we’re going through this transition. So people are definitely frustrated and that’s a normal human response. I feel pretty good about the way that we’re going.
“I used the analogy the morning: It’s almost like flying through the clouds but you have to use the instruments until you get to clear skies. When I took this job, I knew the lumps would come. It’s part of the transition.”
ESPN stats show that the Patriots will enter the weekend ranked last in the NFL with an average of 112.3 passing yards per game and 31st with an average of 13.0 points scored per contest this season. With that said, it’s widely believed Mayo and others within the organization don’t want Maye to take unnecessary beatings while playing behind an offensive line that has surrendered a total of 11 sacks over the last two weeks of action.
Patriots insider Karen Guregian of MassLive reported on Friday that “the players remain in Mayo’s corner” regardless of Lazar’s original statements that have since been edited.
“When MassLive asked one trusted defensive veteran if Mayo had already lost the room – presenting the question as true or false – he quickly responded: ‘Way false,'” Guregian continued. “He shook his head, saying that was the farthest thing from the truth.”
Safety Jabrill Peppers went on the record and insisted that Mayo still “has the locker room” coming off New England’s 30-13 loss at the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday.
“He’s a great coach,” Peppers said about Mayo. “He knows what he’s talking about. He’s played not only here but in the league and made it to the highest level. He listens. He’s a playful guy, but when it’s time to work, it’s time to work, you know what I mean? We love playing for former players who understand it from your perspective and now, his new perspective as a coach, and how to go about things.”
As of Friday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed New England as a one-point favorite against Miami. Sunday’s matchup at Gillette Stadium likely isn’t a must-win game for Mayo’s tenure and job security with the Patriots, but it could become a must-win-or-make-a-quarterback-change contest depending on how New England’s players truly feel about the Brissett-Maye situation.
