Rob Gronkowski rips Patriots' decision to fire Jerod Mayo after 1 season
2025-01-06
Category: sports

Rob Gronkowski appeared to be upset with how the New England Patriots handled Jerod Mayo’s first season as head coach, which ended with his dismissal Sunday following a win over the Buffalo Bills. Mayo was hired to replace Bill Belichick last year after the legendary head coach and the organization parted ways following six Super Bowls and two dynastic periods. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM  The Patriots struggled in Mayo’s first season, finishing 4-13. But Gronkowski expressed that he didn’t believe Mayo had enough time to develop as a head coach. "I was shocked by that. And to happen that soon was a shocker to a lot of people," he said on FOX. "Especially here at the desk, I think we were all surprised by that. I think it was unfair to coach Jerod Mayo. He had never had the chance to develop as a head coach.&nbsp; "He was just a rookie himself in that department. If you judge a coach by their first year, that’s really not appropriate." TYREEK HILL SUGGESTS HE WANTS TO LEAVE DOLPHINS AFTER FINAL GAME OF 2024 SEASON: ‘I’M OUT’  Mayo and Gronkowski were teammates for a few years with the Patriots. The Patriots were far from playoff contenders entering the season. New England drafted rookie quarterback Drake Maye in the first round and didn’t start him until a few weeks into the regular season. New England was 30th in points scored and 31st in yards gained, while finishing 22nd in points and yards allowed.  Patriots team owner Robert Kraft announced the Mayo decision after the Patriots’ win. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP  "After the game I informed Jerod Mayo that he will not be returning as the head coach of the New England Patriots in 2025. For me, personally, it was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made," Kraft said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the trajectory of our team's performances throughout the season did not ascend as I had hoped." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow Fox News Digital’s&nbsp;sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.