The New England Patriots began a new era in 2024. Legendary head coach Bill Belichick is gone after 24 seasons and six Super Bowl titles, the team has a new head coach in Jerod Mayo and drafted a future franchise quarterback in Drake Maye. Even the team uniforms have changed.
This season, at Mayo's direction, the Patriots' captains will wear a patch. What follows is an explanation of why the new head coach decided to do that and what the patch looks like.
Why do the Patriots have captain patches this season?
Mayo announced the decision to add a "C" to the jerseys of the team's captains this season. He revealed the decision before Week 1 saying, "The captains for this year’s team . . . they’ll have their 'C's. I do think it’s important to have the 'C' on the jerseys. That’s one difference that I think is important."
He then gave his reason for doing so:
"I was a captain seven out of eight years, which once again, whatever happens inside the building. That’s always the most important thing. But I do think it’s like a badge of honor. It's a badge of honor, and I think when guys do the right thing, they should be recognized for those things. It’s something as small as having the captain’s patch, I think it’s important for those guys."
It makes sense that Mayo wants to recognize the team's leaders by honoring them with a patch.
What does the captain patch look like?
The Patriots' captain patches feature a white "C" with on a black background, with stars underneath.
Who are the Patriots's captains in 2024?
Mayo announced the team's captains when he revealed they would be wearing patches. They are quarterback Jacoby Brissett, center David Andrews, linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley, defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr., safety Jabrill Peppers and long snapper Joe Cardona.
The Patriots have multiple repeat captains this season. Andrews will carry the honor for the eighth time, Bentley will be a captain for the fourth time, and Wise will play his third year with the designation. Brissett, Peppers and Cardona are all captains for the first time.
Brissett got the patch as the team's starting quarterback but if he is eventually replaced by Maye, there may be a chance it would shift to the rookie.
Who is Jerod Mayo?
Mayo was a linebacker for the Patriots from 2008 until 2015 when he retired. The team made him the 10th overall pick of the 2008 NFL draft and he played his entire career in New England. He was named captain in seven of his eight seasons with the franchise.
A member of the Super Bowl XLIX-winning team, Mayo earned multiple honors during his time. He was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2008 and was named to two Pro Bowls and was first-team All-Pro in 2010. The Patriots honored him as a member of their All-2010s team.
He joined the Patriots as their inside linebackers coach in 2019 and held that position through last season. The 38-year-old was named the team's new head coach on January 12, 2024.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Do Patriots Jerseys Have Captain Patches This Year?.
