It appeared to be the start of the Jerod Mayo era in New England. However, it ends before it really got started. First year head coach Jerod Mayo was let go on Black Monday.
Coach Mayo was elevated to head coach on January 17th of last year. His tenure was cut short after the Patriots ended their season with a 4-12 record. They had the #4 pick in the NFL Draft. The win over the Buffalo Bills this past weekend dropped them in the draft three spots.
Maybe the decision to win was an insult to the Patriots front office who were clearly adamant on this change.
Yet, what makes this change alarming is the simple fact that the Patriots knew what Mayo was walking into. He took over the least talented roster in the NFL. He drafted a rookie quarterback. Unfortunately, he lacked any real offensive weapons to truly compete.
The NFL should mandate a 2-year basic contract for any new coach. If the team wants to keep the coach, they can opt for a 3rd year. Outside of Mike Tomlin, the NFL owners have continued to show the lack of patience for minority coaches.
Antonio Pierce, the Raiders head coach, is expected to be the next minority head coach to get the axed.
The number of minority head coaches in the NFL will decrease. The league will drop from 9 to 6 by the time the off season begins. Earlier in the year the New York Jets fired Robert Saleh.
New Opportunities for Minority Coaches
Multiple teams along with the Patriots will be looking for new head coaches. The thought is that there will be a few minority coaches given the opportunity to lead these franchises.
But, only time will tell if such opportunities will be given. Many of the coaches that were let go had worked for years. They got only brief opportunities.
It is clear that the NFL has little patience for black head coaches to truly succeed in the league. Again, outside of Mike Tomlin, most Black head coaches have a very short leash. They are not given the proper time to rebuild a team.
