Even before the New England Patriots fell to 3-13 on the season, numerous whispers suggested that Patriots owner Robert Kraft and team president Jonathan Kraft could replace first-year head coach Jerod Mayo with former Patriots player and one-time Associated Press Coach of the Year Award winner Mike Vrabel in January.

The Patriots already knew who their next head coach would be. Owner Robert Kraft had put into writing a succession plan that detailed how Jerod Mayo would take over. It meant the Patriots didn’t have to conduct a formal search the way the league requires with multiple interviews that follow the NFL’s Rooney Rule.

Less than a year ago, the New England Patriots parted ways with long-time head coach and de facto general manager Bill Belichick, replacing him with Jerod Mayo on the sidelines and Eliot Wolf in the front office.

The New England Patriots have not had a great first season under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo. New England is 3-13 heading into Week 18 and is currently in position for the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.