GLENDALE, Ariz. – It appeared as though Joe Judge was safe.

On Dec. 26, 2021, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the New York Giants were “planning to bring back” Judge for the 2022 NFL season, citing league sources. At the time, Judge’s team was 4-10 but had a list of excuses, including injuries to the quarterback position.

Sixteen days later, Judge was fired.

That story is relevant because of how Judge lost his job. Following the Giants Week 15 loss to Dallas, it appeared New York’s head coach was safe. The final two weeks of the season, however, saw Judge and the Giants turn into a laughingstock.

Following a 29-3 loss to the Chicago Bears, the coach imploded on the podium. Judge went on an 11-minute diatribe in the post-game press conference, speaking 2,614 words. The next week, in his final game, saw Judge’s offense run two bizarre quarterback sneaks up the middle on second-and-11 and third-and-9. Those two snaps happened with the Giants deep in their territory.

The Giants were mocked relentlessly for those two run plays. Two days later, Judge was fired. Again, two weeks after it was reported that the Giants would have him back. That’s how fast life can change for a head coach on a bad team.

That story is relevant for Jerod Mayo.

On Saturday, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that Patriots owner Robert Kraft “privately assured” those around him that he’s “committed to giving his first-year head coach the time and resources he needs to grow into the role.”

A day later, cameras panned to Kraft, along with his son and team president Jonathan Kraft, looking dejected inside State Farm Stadium.

Jonathan Kraft had a pen and notepad and appeared to be criticizing the offensive play-calling. After another embarrassing loss, Mayo made a comment at the podium that sounded like he was taking a shot at offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.

It was a quote that went viral, bringing more distractions. It was a quote that Mayo was forced to walk back on Monday morning.

Hiccups were expected in this first season for Mayo but if there’s one thing he can learn from Judge’s situation is that reported assurance is only lip service and that a coach can lose his job behind the podium when things are also going awry on the field.

The 2024 Patriots weren’t expected to contend or come close to making the playoffs. This roster lacks talent and those inside Gillette Stadium believe they’ll need at least three offseasons to rectify all the issues. This is a long-term rebuild with a new and inexperienced head coach.

Even Mayo has admitted that he’s learning on the job, making mistakes, and hopes to improve in 2025.

A common mistake this season, however, has been the head coach needing to walk back controversial comments.

That first happened this offseason when Mayo told WEEI that the Patriots were “ready to burn some cash.” That didn’t happen in free agency. Mayo later told MassLive, “I kind of misspoke when I said ‘burn some cash… You don’t have to spend all of it in one year. This is going to be a process.”

Throughout his first season, there have been more examples.

Following a blowout loss in London, Mayo blasted his players, saying, “We’re a soft football team across the board.”

The next day, the Patriots’ coach clarified the comments.

“To correct what I said, it’s not that we have a soft football team,” he said on WEEI. “We are just playing soft over the past few weeks.”
Following the Patriots loss to Indianapolis, Mayo was asked if he considered using a timeout during the Colts’ winning drive.
“Absolutely, there was a thought,” Mayo said. “We have also won a Super Bowl here doing it the other way.”
The next day, on WEEI, Mayo was asked about that statement.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” he said. “You’re right, and look, I probably shouldn’t have – when I said it, I was frustrated first of all, which I should have taken a deep breath. I should not have said that.”
On Sunday, after the Patriots loss to Arizona, Mayo was asked why the offense didn’t have Drake Maye run a quarterback sneak on failed attempts on third-and-1 and fourth-and-1.
The reporter noted, “It’s a short-yardage situation and he can run.”
“You said it. I didn’t,” Mayo replied.
That comment sparked controversy as many took it as a shot at Van Pelt’s play-calling.
On Monday, Mayo once again had to walk back his comments.
“I know there’s a lot of chatter about the question last night. ‘You said that.’ I didn’t mean anything by that,” Mayo said. “It was more of a defensive response, and ultimately – I tried to clarify that with the follow-up question because ultimately all of those decisions are mine. Just wanted to get that out there.”

Mayo knows he needs to be better as a coach but he also needs to be better behind the podium – or else it could cost him his job.

It would be surprising if Kraft fired his new head coach, who he hand-picked as Bill Belichick’s successor, after one season.

What Mayo can’t do is make that decision easier on ownership.

It’s one thing to have a bad team. That was expected. It’s another to cause multiple distractions behind the podium. Once things get embarrassing for ownership, the sand in the hourglass starts to run out.

This season hasn’t reached the level of embarrassment that was seen with Judge’s meltdown with the Giants but it’s getting close. Mayo needs to tread lightly over these final three weeks.