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3 Patriots Who Benefit the Most From Jerod Mayo's Firing

Now that Jerod Mayo's time as the New England Patriots' head coach is over, these three players could benefit the most from his firing going forward.

By Devon Platana

Former New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo against the Arizona Cardinals in the second half at State Farm Stadium.
Former New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo against the Arizona Cardinals in the second half at State Farm Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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2. Drake Maye, QB

Although Drake Maye's first (and only) season under Mayo's watch was horrible, it could've been much better with a different coach at the helm.

One of the main reasons why the Patriots selected Maye third overall last year was because of his impressive running ability. The former Tar Heels QB racked up 1,209 rushing yards and 16 TDs on 302 carries across three seasons at North Carolina, leaving New England fans hopeful that his mobility would also lead to NFL success.

Even though Maye was never going to run as often as he did in college, Mayo could've used the former more often as a ball carrier. The 22-year-old signal-caller only averaged 4.3 carries per game from Week 6 onward compared to the 9.3 he averaged during his final collegiate campaign.

Impressively, Maye averaged more yards per carry as an NFL rookie (7.9) than he did during his three college seasons (4.0). That further illustrates how the Patriots' offense — which was among the league's worst — could've benefited by taking advantage of the Huntersville, NC native's mobility.

If Maye is ever going to reach his true ceiling, the Patriots' next head coach must be someone who isn't afraid to run the ball more frequently.

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