HEAD COACH JEROD MAYO
PRESS CONFERENCE
January 3, 2025
JM: Good morning. Before we get into football things, this morning, we took a couple of minutes out of our squad meeting to recognize a couple of people, one being Nancy Meier. This is her 50th year here with the organization, which is definitely impressive. If you do anything for 50 years, it's definitely something to recognize. She's been fantastic and a lot of love from the players, past players and current players. Everyone that comes in here, they go in there and they sign the contract with Nancy in there. The second thing is the Ed Block Courage Award. It's given to a player on a team – all 32 teams – that display courage, facing adversity, going through all that stuff and returning to play. This year it is Cole Strange, and he won the Ed Block Courage Award. So, that's what we started off with this morning. Getting into football, just excited for another opportunity to get on the field. The guys are still dialed in, still ready to go and looking forward to going out there and playing a good football game. Fire away.
Q: Do you have any reaction to the comments that Jahlani Tavai made on WEEI this morning?
JM: I've handled that internally. We had a conversation about it, so I'm going to keep that in house. I will say this, look, for the fans – I've said this before. I'm a fan of different things, too. Look, no one's happy, no one's happy with our record, no one's happy where we are right now. The fans, look, they pay the bills, they come in here, they demand us to go out there and perform well, and we haven't done that this year. So, look, I understand.
Q: After comments that were made by Davon Godchaux and Deatrich Wise [Jr.] earlier in the week, did you address the players about how you should speak about fans?
JM: No, I've talked to the guys about how – look, they're getting caught up in trying to defend me. I've told them, look, I appreciate it, but at the same time, the fans are the most important thing here. They want to see good football, and they want to see wins.
Q: From your experience as a player, Jerod, how did you internalize being on the field, putting your heart out on the field and then dealing with backlash, whether it's from TV media, newspaper media or fans in general?
JM: That's part of playing sports. Everyone's not going to be a fan of the Patriots. Everyone's not going to be a fan of Jerod Mayo, and I learned that very early in my competitive career, no matter what sport I played. Look, you've got to just put your head down and keep working to get better.
Q: We saw Drake [Maye] land on the injury report with right hand, limited. I'm just curious on what effect you've seen that have on him in practice this week?
JM: No effect.
Q: How has Joe [Milton III] handled the non-scout team reps that Alex Van Pelt had said he took this week in practice?
JM: Yeah, he's still doing some of the show team stuff, so.
Q: And how has he looked on the non-show team as well?
JM: He's looked good, sorry. Yeah, he's looked good.
Q: Is the plan to have Joe Milton on the gameday roster on Sunday?
JM: All three quarterbacks will be at the game.
Q: You mentioned earlier in the week, Jerod, that there haven't been any conversations between you and ownership about how to handle the roster and how to handle this last game. Have those occurred since we last spoke to you?
JM: No, I already answered that. It hasn't changed.
Q: And just on the quarterbacks, all three being at the game, I mean, Joe has always been at the game, right?
JM: Yeah, that's right.
Q: But will his status as the third be different maybe than what it has been in the past?
JM: We'll see how today goes, and it's always a possibility.
Q: Do you see the long-term benefits of maybe handling this game differently than other games, and is it tough for you to decide how to go about it?
JM: I answered this the other day. I said as a player, as a coach, we've always – anytime we step on the football field, we expect to go out there, play at a high level and win.
Q: I believe in 2014, Tom Brady played the first half of the final game of the season and didn't play the second. Is that maybe a blueprint for what we can see on Sunday?
JM: I don't look at any of those things really as blueprints. I think every team, every situation is unique, and that's how we're going to handle it.
Q: Do you think it'll be helpful for your evaluations to get a look at Joe Milton in game action moving forward?
JM: It's always helpful to see players who haven't played as much during the season go out there and play in a regular season game.
Q: In his case in particular, he's the only rookie on the roster – when you talk about developing players this year – who hasn't taken a snap. Is that a factor at all?
JM: Yeah, we also talk about developing Drake Maye at the same time, so it's tough. He's been our emergency quarterback.
Q: We haven't talked to you since [Brenden] Schooler was named to the Pro Bowl. One, what are your thoughts on that, and just from a coaching standpoint, what do you see from what opposing teams do that shows maybe that level?
JM: Yeah, I told the guys, look, Schooler is one of those guys that everything's 100 miles per hour. Nothing happens on accident. He's one of our hardest workers, and at the end of the season to be named a Pro Bowl player is definitely huge. Using that as a model and how he's gone about his business has been great.
Q: What are your thoughts on Christian Gonzalez not making it to the Pro Bowl? I know Pro Bowl's not what it was, but he's been pretty good this year.
JM: Yeah, I think I've said this from the start. I think he's one of the best corners in the league. So, we'll see what the All-Pro vote says.
Q: Are there other guys who might be in Joe's category going into this game? I know earlier in the year, you said you wanted to see some guys and how they finished there, some of the younger guys. Are there some guys who you might put in that same class?
JM: 100%.
Q: Any insight on who might step into Yannick's [Ngakoue] role, like on the edge there?
JM: I mean, it's going to be by committee. It's going to be by committee as far as our third down package is concerned.
Q: Any name, anyone that we might see from – I'm thinking Jotham [Russell], Truman [Jones]. I don't know if those guys fit on the practice squad –
JM: Truman has an opportunity. He'll have an opportunity to get in the game.
Q: Jerod, the last two days, Gonzalez hasn't practiced with his concussion. Is there a possibility that he could clear protocol by Sunday, or are you expecting to not have him in this final week?
JM: I mean, there is a possibility. But once again, the speed at which you get out of the concussion protocol always changes, and I'll leave it in their hands.
Q: How would you say your culture has evolved from the start of camp to where it is now?
JM: Look, this is the time of the year that everyone, including media, myself, the players, have to reflect, and that's what we've got to do.
Q: In reflecting, how would you see that change? It's something that I know coaches talk about culture as something you maintain and reinforce daily.
JM: Yeah, to me, it's about the Buffalo Bills this week. I will say sometimes, and I've always said this, sometimes we look at culture as it's almost a retrospective way of validating success or failure. In saying that, let me break it down a little bit. Just because you have a good record doesn't mean you have a good culture, and just because you have a bad record doesn't mean you have a bad culture. So, these things take time.
Q: How does the uncertainty surrounding the coaching staff affect your approach to this game?
JM: Everyone, coaching staff, players, are just focused on the Bills and ready to go out there and win.
Q: What would you say Alex Van Pelt has brought on the offensive side of the ball in terms of leadership this season?
JM: Steadiness. He's a steady guy.
Q: Anything more?
JM: I mean, there are a lot of different things I could say, but he asked me the most important. It's steadiness.
Q: If there are changes made to the coaching staff, obviously beyond you, would that be your decision alone, or would there be any other forces as part of that?
JM: Well, it's the first time I've gotten to the end of a season. So, as I said, I've been in constant communication with ownership, and I'm sure those conversations will be had.
