2024 marks the start of a new era in New England. The reign of Bill Belichick has come to an end. Former Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo replaces him and will install a culture all his own in New England. At least one current New England Patriot will miss Bill Belichick's intensity in practice.
Today the Patriots kick off organized team activities and several players gave interviews to the media. Keion White was one of those players and he dropped an interesting nugget about his former coach.
“We don’t got Bill cursing us out every play anymore,” White said when asked about the differences between this year's offseason program and last year's.
The conversation changed to a different topic, but another reported brought White back to talking about Belichick.
“I know, I miss it,” White said when a reporter returned to the topic.
“I like Bill. He’s my type of coach, like a hard-ass. I like that,” White said. “I respond well to things like that. Mayo’s done a pretty good job too. It’s all different. Mayo’s doing a really good job of staying true to himself, not trying to fill somebody else’s shoes, but create his own path, and I really respect that.”
White made it clear that he appreciates his new head coach.
“For me, I can respond to any coaching style as long as you’re genuine,” White said. “So if you’re a friendly coach, and you try to be a hard ass, I’m gonna see through that and challenge the (expletive). And if you’re a hard-ass coach and trying to be super friendly because you’re trying to cater to certain players, I’m gonna see through that. I’d much rather you just be yourself and be who you are – and that’s what Mayo’s doing and I respect that.”
How will the Patriots fare during year one under Jerod Mayo?
How much success can rookie head coach Jerod Mayo achieve with the Patriots in 2024?
Expectations are not what they once were. The Patriots have not won a playoff game since Tom Brady left the team. New England has a combined record of 29-38 since 2020, ending 2023 with a particularly rough 4-13 record.
The Patriots may not turn into AFC East contenders overnight, but they can certainly exceed last year's four-win season. The defense is as solid as its ever been, good not great. New England's shot at progressing in 2024 is retooling their offense.
The Patriots invested heavily in the offense this offseason. They've drafted QB Drake Maye, WRs Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, and invested resources in shoring up the offensive line. Jerod Mayo has plenty of offensive weapons to choose from and could bring some schematic changes to the offense overall.
Just because they could exceed expectations doesn't mean they will. In fact, the Patriots join the Carolina Panthers as one of the most dismissed teams by Vegas. Shortly after the 2024 NFL schedule was released, the Patriots and Panthers were the only teams to be initially declared underdogs in every game for the upcoming season by various sportsbooks.
Ultimately, the Patriots' season will likely be viewed as a success if Jerod Mayo and Drake Maye prove that they are the future of the franchise. As long as the team is playing hard and staying competitive, their record won't matter.
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