New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo made waves after calling his team “soft,” following their Week 7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
That has prompted multiple NFL personalities to weigh in on the comments.
Mayo has since clarified his remarks, but that has not stopped those around the league from reacting. Even former Patriots coach Bill Belichick got in on the debate, and he openly disagreed with the current Patriots coach.
NFL analyst Richard Sherman made his case on the set of Thursday Night Football. The legendary defensive back also disagreed with Mayo’s assessment and stated the coach needed to establish himself before publicly criticizing the players.
“It’s frustrating to hear that because, if it’s Bill Belichick, if it’s an acclaimed head coach—and not that Jerod Mayo didn’t have an accomplished career, but you are a rookie head coach,” said Sherman. “You don’t get to say nothing at this point until you’ve earned the right to say things.
“You earned the right by winning, by scheming and showing your scheme is effective. We don’t even know if your identity or culture is effective. …Saying the players are soft lacks personal accountability. You have a part in this.”
This is what the Thursday Night Football crew had to say about Jerod Mayo and the New England Patriots following tonight’s game. Fair or not, this is the narrative out there. #Patriots #NEPats pic.twitter.com/laDYItSkCz
— Dan Kelley (@DanKelley66) October 25, 2024
Mayo’s comments likely caused a bigger distraction than expected, and he took ownership of it at Wednesday’s press conference. It will be interesting to see how the Patriots come out against the New York Jets on Sunday as they look to turn the page.
