We’re running a mailbag on Fridays during the offseason. If you have questions on the Patriots, NFL, or want gripe about past answers, email cmason@masslive.com or tweet @bychrismason. Now let’s get to this week’s questions!
Who is taking the throne as next Patriots head coach from Bill Belichick? — Tom G.
Though Mike Vrabel has gotten a ton of attention this week, I’d still bet on Jerod Mayo. In addressing something unrelated in his post-Belichick press conference, Robert Kraft quoted one of his favorite sayings.
“When I’m making important decisions, I try to ‘measure nine times and cut once’, because you want to be sure,” Kraft said.
I think having Mayo succeed Belichick is something the Patriots owner has been measuring for quite some time — remember the statement last offseason? — and I don’t think Vrabel’s availability is enough to throw Kraft’s long-standing plan off course. It also came out Thursday evening that Mayo has a clause in his contract that allows the Patriots to eschew the NFL’s interview process and simply hire him as Belichick’s successor; this has been in the works for awhile.
Beyond that, I don’t think Kraft is eager to give total roster control to another coach right now, and The Athletic’s Diana Russini reported that was a source of serious friction for Vrabel in Tennessee.
“Vrabel wanted full control over the roster, saying that he’d earned it, and (Titans owner Amy Adams) Strunk pointedly disagreed,” Russini writes. “Strunk has carried a belief over the years that head coaches shouldn’t have full control, pointing to the way things went for the Titans in the later years of Jeff Fisher’s tenure, and watching from afar the issues that transpired for the Patriots with Bill Belichick and Bill O’Brien with the Texans.”
On Thursday, Kraft noted that Belichick didn’t have total control of the Patriots roster until after his third Super Bowl championship in Foxborough. Obviously, the 37-year-old Mayo eyeing his first head coaching job wouldn’t have those demands.
With the final question of his press conference, Kraft was asked what he was seeking in his next head coach. The 82-year-old owner had asked for only questions about Belichick during his media availability, but still opted to provide an answer.
“I’ll just say we’re looking for someone who can help us get back to the playoffs, and win,” Kraft said. “Believe me, after my family, this is really one of the two most important assets in my life. I am very upset when we don’t win games. It carries the whole week. So, I promise you I’ll be focused to do the best I can do to make sure we’re putting ourselves in the best long-term position to win for many years.”
There was nothing about experience, a track record of success, or anything like that. Kraft just wants a coach that he believes in — and he clearly believes in Jerod Mayo.
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What three moments best encapsulate Belichick’s tenure as coach for the Pats? — Matthew
1. Nov. 20, 2001: Belichick chooses Brady over Bledsoe
With highly-paid Drew Bledsoe healthy and ready to return from a gnarly injury in late November, Belichick opted to stick with his young substitute quarterback, Tom Brady. His defense of the move was simple (and a sign of things to come).
“I’ll do what’s in the best interest of the football team,” Belichick said.
He did. And it was.
2. Feb. 3, 2002: Belichick derails “Greatest Show on Turf”
Double-digit underdogs in Super Bowl XXXVI, Belichick crafted an all-time great game plan to keep the high-flying Rams offense grounded. With brutal physicality, Belichick’s defense held St. Louis to 17 points — they’d averaged a league-best 31.4 points per game in the regular season — and with Adam Vinatieri’s walk-off field goal, the Patriots were World Champions for the first time ever.
3. Feb. 1, 2015: Belichick lets the Seahawks implode
Clinging to a 28-24 lead in the final minute of Super Bowl XLIX, the Patriots defense was reeling after a Marshawn Lynch run had taken Seattle to the goal line. Conventional wisdom said to use a timeout to salvage some clock for Brady following a seemingly inevitable touchdown, but Belichick was operating on a different level. The coach sensed confusion on the Seahawks sideline, and when the Patriots didn’t take a timeout, that confusion turned to panic. They rushed the ensuing play-call, the ball ended up in Malcolm Butler’s arms, and one of the greatest moments in Super Bowl history was born.
Honorable mention
Oct. 1, 2014: Belichick is ‘on to Cincinnati’
After a 41-14 primetime drubbing saw the Patriots fall to 2-2 with Tom Brady pulled late in the game, Belichick had second-round pick Jimmy Garoppolo waiting in the wings. Asked about the quarterback situation moving forward, he authored his most famous press conference line: “We’re on to Cincinnati” — and echoed it over and over again. With Brady at quarterback the following weekend, the Patriots routed the Bengals and went on to win three Super Bowls in the ensuing five seasons.
Oct. 31, 2009: Belichick crashes the party
Though famous for his stoic demeanor, Belichick was always able to connect with his players. When Randy Moss invited the coach to a Halloween party in 2009, not only did he show up, but Belichick dressed in a full pirate costume and stole the show. If you haven’t seen it, you’re missing out. Here’s a link.
Most of the talk is regarding head coaching but what names are out there for GM position? — Cliff K.
Rapid fire!
San Francisco assistant GM Adam Peters, Chiefs assistant GM Mike Borgonzi, Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown, Eagles assistant GMs Jon Ferrari and Alec Halaby, free agent Dave Ziegler, and there are a bunch more. It’ll be interesting to see if they elevate anybody in the current front office like Eliot Wolf or Steve Cargile, too.
Is Mac Jones the next one out the door? — Reese C.
Not necessarily. If anything, I think Belichick’s departure opens things up for him a bit. Perhaps a new coach liked him in the pre-draft process and believes there’s something to salvage. In any case, it can’t get much worse than being demoted to emergency quarterback, which is where Jones stood with Belichick in the season finale.
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