The New England Patriots’ season is unraveling, and fans are already eyeing the exit with head coach Jerod Mayo. After a crushing Week 12 loss to the Miami Dolphins, Mayo’s sideline gesture — throwing his hands up in visible frustration — has fans convinced his days are numbered.
Social media is buzzing with predictions, including some saying he’ll be out before the season’s end, and the vibes aren’t great. With the Pats sitting at a bleak 3-9 and no end in sight to their woes, Mayo’s reactions become the defining image of a season full of missteps, misfires, and, potentially, a major coaching shakeup.
Patriots Fans Turn on HC Jerod Mayo After Frustrating Loss to Dolphins
Mayo might have fumbled harder in his postgame presser than the Patriots did on the field. After a brutal 34-15 loss to the Dolphins dropped the Pats to 3-9, Mayo had this to say:
“Look, once those guys cross the white lines, there’s nothing I can do for them. There’s nothing any coach can do for them once they cross the white line. It’s my job to continue to prepare not only them but our coaches to go out here and play better football.”
Cue the fan rage; one fan didn’t hold back, declaring, “Fired by Week 15.”
Fired by Week 15 https://t.co/1BV5SBR7Gz
— Ryan (@notryanishimm) November 24, 2024
Another shot back with, “So he should just stay home then, why even show up?” And the hits kept coming.
So he should stay at home then, why even show up to the games?
— BrycenNFL 👑 (@BrycenNFL) November 24, 2024
Critics called out Mayo for redirecting blame, with one user commenting, “He really has a way to throw his guys under the bus.”
He really has a way to throw his guys under the bus.
— Marcus Blumberg (@MarcusBlumberg) November 24, 2024
Fans questioned his ability to lead a rebuilding squad. One fan summed it up bluntly: “He’s way over his head – he needs to go before he ruins the rebuilding of this team.”
Another added to the sentiment: “He just gets worse and worse.”
But it wasn’t just the words that stung. Mayo’s sideline antics — hands thrown up in frustration as the game slipped away — became the latest meme-worthy moment in a season already filled with them. For a franchise used to Bill Belichick’s steely composure, Mayo’s visible exasperation felt like salt in the wound.
For now, Mayo’s biggest opponent might not be the next team on the schedule — it’s the court of public opinion, where patience is officially out of stock.
Bill Simmons Rips Jerod Mayo, Calls Patriots’ Play ‘Scared Football’
NFL Analyst Bill Simmons didn’t hold back in his latest breakdown of Mayo and the Patriots’ struggling season, calling out the team for playing “Scared Football.”
He didn’t just say it once — he doubled down, suggesting Mayo might need a ghostwriter for a book with that title and offering a rundown of the soft calls that have fans scratching their heads, including passing up on a 4th-and-1, running on a 3rd-and-16 to set up a 45-yard field goal, and more.
This spring, Jerod Mayo needs to find an author to help him write a book called Scared Football. Just throw all his scared concepts and strategies in there — passing up 4th and 1s, handing off on 3rd and 16 to set up 45 yard FGs, just rattle all of them off. SCARED FOOTBALL.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) November 24, 2024
With penalties raining down (10 total for 75 yards), a porous defense, and an offense stuck in neutral, Simmons made his thoughts clear. He doesn’t believe it’s just a bad season but it’s “the worst-coached Pats team since Rod Rust.” (Rust’s 1990 squad went 1-15, the worst record in franchise history.)
While it’s not that dire yet, Simmons’ critique stings. The Patriots are teetering on the edge of a breakdown, and fans are definitely noticing.