PATRIOTS HEAD COACH JEROD MAYO
PRESS CONFERENCE
July 23, 2024
JM: Hello, friends. No juice today? Hello, friends. I appreciate you guys being here. Hopefully you guys had a good summer, I did. I spent a little bit of time in Martha's Vineyard which was pretty cool. Then, went out to the Cape, and got some time to spend with the family. That was one of the first times since I've taken over this role that I've actually had a break. Still kind of worked, still had cellphones. Alright, fire away
Q: Did everyone report today?
JM: Everyone is here, everyone is here. I'm happy about that. These guys are ready to rock, it's a good thing.
Q: What are your expectations for the first three-to-five days of camp? Is it judging where guys are relative to where they were when they left?
JM: Yeah, the first three-to-five days is really about seeing what these guys have done during the last four or five weeks when they weren't here. I would also say to see what they retained from a mental aspect of some of the scheme things that we talked about earlier. [phone rings] You know what happens in the squad room? This is even when I was a player. Phones will go off sometimes, and everyone will just start coughing. I guess that's team camaraderie. None of you guys care about each other, you guys need to have some camaraderie as a media group.
Q: Davon Godchaux and Matthew Judon have expressed varying levels of displeasure about their situations. What's the team's relationship?
JM: Look, the relationship is still good, at least from my perspective. I know that their teammates definitely respect them. Those are valuable pieces of this organization and they've done a lot for us. Hopefully we can get something done and those guys are here. I want them here, Eliot [Wolf] wants them here, the team wants them here. There is a business aspect to everything though.
Q: As you were planning for training camp and putting things on paper and trying to organize things, did you come across anything that you said, 'I didn't realize the head coach had to do that'?
JM: There are a few things from a scheduling standpoint. It's been great having a bunch of new coaches in here that I can lean on and obviously the coaches that we've had in the past that are still here. There really wasn't anything that was huge like that, where I'm like, 'Wow! That's different.' But it's been good.
Q: Following up on Judon and Godchaux, do you anticipate they'll practice? It seems like a new thing where players hold in now.
JM: It's always the expectation if you're here, you're going to go out there and practice and you're going to compete. That's what it's all about.
Q: With Godchaux and Judon, does it feel like something will have to get done to keep them here?
JM: Look, this is their first day back. This is probably a question for tomorrow. At the same time, I will reiterate that we want those guys here. We're going to do everything possible to keep those guys. I think it's good for the organization and hopefully it works out.
Q: In the spring, we asked a lot of questions about quarterbacks and reps. Can you provide any sort of clarification at this point on the calendar of who might be the starter and who is number two?
JM: Yeah, coming out of the spring, I don't think there's any doubt Jacoby [Brissett] is the starting quarterback at this point in time. We can look at these other quarterbacks on the roster, at the same time, it's about competition. When we get out on the field this summer, with the pads on, we'll see how it all plays out. Coming out of the spring, I think it's clear that Jacoby is the most pro-ready guy we have. He's played a lot of football.
Q: Do you guys still plan on carrying four quarterbacks?
JM: It's always a conversation about, do we move this person here? Do we move that person there? We're always going to take the mindset of we're going to do what's best for the organization and we're going to try to get those guys reps so they can compete. I don't know if that means four or three, honestly, right now we have four quarterbacks and those guys will go out there and practice today.
Q: What's your overarching message in front of the team when speaking to them in the team room?
JM: The overarching message, I would say it's about competition. It's about competition and it's also about building camaraderie and knowing what to do. I've learned a lot of principles here from Bill [Belichick], and being smart, tough and dependable is definitely something that I definitely think makes a good team. That's still part of my message to the rest of the guys, but when it's all said and done, it's about competition and going out there and beating the men across from you.
Q: What kind of opportunity is training camp for some of the undrafted guys and some of the guys who may not be household names?
JM: We're no longer bound by, for the most part, the time rule we had in the spring. There will be enough reps for everyone. I will say it's not about the amount of reps, just the quality of reps. If you're undrafted, and I had this talk with the rookies the other day, it's the same thing in college. Everyone has seen the five-star flop, and everyone has seen the guy with no stars become a starter in college. It's the exact same thing right here. It doesn't matter how you got here, it's what you do with your opportunities.
Q: Coming out of the break, were there any rookies or anyone that has stood out to you?
JM: Yeah, honestly, it's kind of tough. They didn't really do much, we didn't know what they were actually going to do at home because they are rookies. It almost ended up being like a Phase II day where there were a lot of agilities and going back to the evaluation process. Seeing how these guys came back from the break. We'll see once we get out here and really compete.
Q: When you put together your itinerary for what camp will look like, practice being at 11 in the morning, how did you come to that decision that's the best time for the team?
JM: For me, I thought it was important that we had adequate meeting time in the morning, before we touch the field. Honestly, I think the guys appreciate that. They want to make sure that they tighten all the screws and know exactly what to do on the field so their athleticism can take over. That was the mindset. When you have those earlier practices, look, we're in New England, we're not in New Orleans or anything like that. But when you look at those earlier practices, it just takes a lot of time the night before, and you don't know if those guys really retain it the next day. I wanted to give those guys the opportunity to brush up before they went on the field.
Q: Do you have a sense of where you want [Mike] Onwenu to play? Obviously, during the spring, we saw him at tackle, we saw him at guard. Do you have a sense of where he can play on the offensive line?
JM: Yeah, I've had this conversation with AVP [Alex Van Pelt]. I've also talked to Mike and the rest of those offensive linemen. Look, we're going to put the best five players out there on the field as an offensive line. If that means you've got to play guard or play tackle, I don't know. We'll see, it'll play itself out in camp. That's my mindset, it's about putting the best players on the field.
Q: Starting out with [Chukwuma] Okorafor, is he the leader in the clubhouse at left tackle or is that an open competition?
JM: I would say right now, based on the time he's been in the league alone, he's going to start there. But again, my mentality and our offensive mentality is to put the five best guys out on the field. We'll see how it plays out.
Q: Do you expect Kendrick Bourne to be out on the field practicing?
JM: So those guys are going to go out here and run here in a second, so we'll evaluate that. He's been progressing, and we'll see what it looks like.
Q: As you set goals for this team to have a successful season, at the end of the year, would be defined as what?
JM: Yeah, a successful season, in my eyes, is really about the foundation. Have we put together a good foundation of a combination of young and older players to really start competing? It would be great to get up here and say we're going to win a Super Bowl, but once again, it's about the process. I tell the guys all the time, it's about process and progress and moving forward.
Q: Would you look at that foundation and know this is what you want at the end of the year because it looks like what? Specifically, what does that foundation look like?
JM: It looks like a winning football team. It looks like a tough, smart, dependable football team.
Q: I know you can't mention another player on a team that has a contract, but there's been talk in the NFL about a certain player that wants to get traded. Would the Patriots be interested in investigating another wide receiver?
JM: We're always interested in getting the best players on our team. Whatever that looks like, we're third on the waiver wire. There will be some quality players that get released for various reasons and we'll get an opportunity to continue to improve our roster. If you're going to sit there and ask me would we take a good player, no matter what position, absolutely; absolutely if it helps us get better. Not only today, but also in the future.
Q: It's not New Orleans, but it can get hot here. If it's a 95-degree day in Foxborough, do you guys have to adjust? What kind of conversations have you had to make sure practices happen?
JM: It's all about hydration, we take various measures all the time. We'll have the icebox outside. We always have people tracking real-time data throughout practice. Honestly, it's my job, if those guys are looking like they're about to die, there's no problem of cutting practice. It's no problem. I will say this; practice won't be two hours every day or two-and-a-half hours every single day. I believe in undulating the practice schedule, continuing to confuse the body. Really look, we'll have an hour and 30 practice, but it's going to be high intensity. Or, we'll have a two hour and ten-minute practice where there will be some slower periods in those. I think it's important to do that and change it up, break up the monotony a little bit.
Q: Where is Cole Strange in terms of the football team?
JM: He's been in here everyday, I don't even think he really took a break. He's trying to get out there on the field, and I appreciate it. I'm not exactly sure what that looks like, but we'll see how he progresses going forward.
Q: Coach, you mentioned the competition. Is there a world in which you can envision Drake Maye competing well enough to overtake and be the opening day starter?
JM: Look, if he -- and this goes to any position -- if he comes out here and he lights it up, once again, it goes back to the quality of reps. It could absolutely happen. Look, I'll sit here and tell you, coming out of the spring, Jacoby looks like the starting quarterback. Now with that being said, he'll have competition. Let's not forget about even Joe Milton; let's not forget about [Bailey] Zappe. All those guys will have opportunities to go out there and be the starting quarterback in Week 1.
Q: As he learns the cadence, do you just want to put him in a little protective bubble?
JM: Nah, not at all. I mean, you've seen that work in the past, right? You look at other quarterbacks, the Green Bay quarterbacks, where they had a lot of time. You look at those situations, and they were able to sit back. There have also been situations where a guy comes right in, right now, and he balls out. We'll see what happens when we get out here on the field.
Q: What's the standard for you guys as you're evaluating him? Is it just once he's ready, he's ready, or he has to be better than Jacoby, or the offensive line has to be at a certain spot? What are you guys watching for?
JM: To me, it goes back to the same word, and it's competition. It's not about everyone else. It's about, 'Does this guy go out and perform better than Jacoby?' No matter who we're talking about. So, that's the way I kind of see it.
Q: With two rookie quarterbacks who probably could use as many reps or snaps as they can get, does it make sense to carry four quarterbacks throughout training camp?
JM: I will say when we talk about reps -- in this room at least -- we're always talking about on the field. We have various walkthroughs and tools that we can use where guys can get these reps. I know it sounds crazy, but even our virtual reality -- I think we kind of talked about that in the spring. That's another way that guys are able to steal reps. So, maybe a guy gets 20 reps on this day, the next day he gets two reps, and that's why I always tell you guys to be very careful when you start to put together the depth charts, who gets cut and all that stuff because honestly, I don't even know at this point in time. Because once again, it goes back to competing, not only on the field, but also on the field, in the classroom, and those things are important.
Q: When it comes to competition and reps, how do you balance having the veterans in there who can kind of keep things on schedule versus the young guys who have more upside, but inherently, they're going to make some more mistakes?
JM: Absolutely. They have to learn through those mistakes. I would say for a young player, just don't be a repeat-error guy. I would say that for all our players. But you will have the opportunity to go out there and perform. Now, looking at some of the veteran players on the roster, realistically, they're not going to be out there 90% of the snaps at 11:30 a.m. or noon. That's not what it is. So, those young guys will have an opportunity to really show what they have. There are players on this team that we have confidence that these are professional football players. Look at [Kyle] Dugger, [Jabrill] Peppers, Godchaux, Judon, [Ja'Whaun] Bentley, [Jahlani] Tavai. All those guys have played a lot of football in this league. So, the young guys are going to have an opportunity to go and play as we -- I don't want to say manage the older guys, but at the same time, we know kind of what they can do. Now in saying that, you have to continue to evaluate these guys on a day-to-day basis, no matter if it's a rookie, 10-year vet or whatever.
Q: Jerod, as a rookie head coach, do you go by the 'Don't be a repeat offender?'
JM: Absolutely. I mean look, Stacey [James] got on me already about some things I said, so I'm trying to do the right thing. In all seriousness though, look, I'm not going to sit up here and act like I have all of the answers. Once again, there are people in my circle -- I have like a personal board -- I lean on those people for guidance. Look, I am going to make mistakes. I'm not going to sit here and act like I'm just the most perfect guy. I will make mistakes, and I will learn from those mistakes because I am not a repeat-offender type of person.
Q: With Kayshon [Boutte] and the charges being dropped, have you heard from the league about whether he still may face discipline, or is he kind of past that now?
JM: I have not. I think he's past it, but that's more of an Eliot [Wolf] question. He kind of handles that stuff.
Q: Jerod, when it comes to Drake [Maye], how would you sum up his goal? What are you hoping he takes out of this experience in his first training camp?
JM: Yeah, the goal for Drake is just to get better each and every day. Look, it's not a straight line up to the top. There will be ups and downs, but if you look left to right, you just hope that if he started 'here,' he's 'here.' Once again, if he comes out here, he takes full advantage and lights it up, he could be the Day 1 quarterback. But like I said, coming out of the spring, I think it's Jacoby.
Q: Jerod, going into your undulating practice approach, how much of that is going to be informed by sports science?
JM: We talked about that stuff in the spring. Actually, before we got out of here, we went through each and every day. Now, knowing that some of that stuff can change, whether it's weather or wear and tear on the body. But we have a great sports performance staff. It's led by Jim Whalen and his team, who is our head trainer. But he really sits on top of that stuff. We take opinions, obviously, from the weight room staff, and then we have some people on the back end. I don't want to get into names on who those sports scientists are. Did we already put out the book? We've got to put out the book. You'll see who it is.
Q: With just one joint practice this year, any reason for that?
JM: For me, we've had years where we had two teams that we had the joint practices against. I will say this: the team that we'll have the joint practice with, we're excited. It's a good football team. It's something that we can use as a measuring stick. One thing I would say with the joint practice is, usually if it's two days, that Day 2 kind of gets chippy. For me, it's like, 'Let's go out here and let's have a quality practice. One quality practice, and then we'll play them in the game.' Now, one thing I will say that we're still kind of on the fence or thinking about is how we even approach the preseason in general, right? So, we will practice against Philly [Philadelphia] that one day, now it's, 'Do we play the starters? How long do we play them?' Even going into Game 3 where that's our only rehearsal for a road trip, and that's going to be a lot of learning for myself as well. But it's like, how much do you actually play the guys that you almost feel pretty confident that they're going to make the roster? So, those conversations are still going on.
Q: Jerod, how do you feel on employing Evan Rothstein as a strategist and his new title?
JM: Once again, we can talk about titles, but he has been doing this role since he's been here when you talk about from a situational standpoint, game management standpoint. So, he has the title, and he'll help me think through those things. But ultimately -- and you guys should remember this -- ultimately, I have to make the decision. So, if it's a bad decision, feel free to rip me and not Evan Rothstein, alright?
Q: Coach, we saw some of the rookies, Javon Baker, missed some time in the spring. They weren't added to the PUP [Physically Unable to Perform] or the NFI [Non-Football Injury]. Are they good to go for this summer?
JM: Ready to go. Ready to go.
Q: With training camp set to start, do you have a message to the fans who have kind of been waiting for this moment?
JM: Yeah, I mean, my message to the fans is it's all about winning football games. That's what it comes down to. It comes down to winning football games, no matter what the expectation is from everyone outside this building. We're going to go to work each and every day, and we're going to get better. We're going to put a good product, a good team out there on the field that you'll be proud of. Now, whether that's tomorrow or next year, I don't know. But I will say that this team, I like the way they're coming together.
Q: Jerod, at the end of February, we talked to Eliot just about his philosophies, getting to know a little bit about the Packer Way, etc. One of the points he made was prioritizing the young guys to play. Is that an emphasis here with your roster construction and practicing guys into the regular season?
JM: Yeah, absolutely. You always want to have those young players out there getting the majority of the reps. Now in saying that, we have a lot of good veteran players out here on our team, and I don't want to go back to this word, but it's about competition. That's the word of the day. That's the word of camp. It's about competition, no matter who you are.
Q: How do you create the environment that is conducive to evaluation and the foundation? At the end of the season, how do you make sure you know what you have in those young guys as they play?
JM: Yeah, I mean, look, that's for the coaches to sit in the room, evaluate their individual room and also evaluate their side of the ball. With Eliot and his staff, we'll come together and do that stuff.
Q: Does day one include playing rookies all at one time?
JM: I don't think you can just put all the rookies out there at one time. You have to have someone out there; we'll mix and match, and once again, it'll go back to what I talked about earlier. We'll mix and match; old, young, playing experience, non-playing experience. I do think it's important; it's a huge difference if [Dont'a] Hightower is out there running the huddle and a rookie is out there running the huddle. Oftentimes, we sit there and say, 'Well, this guy is not a good player.' But honestly, maybe if this young guy didn't have to run the huddle, he could just listen and get a call, he could be a performer. There are veteran players in the league that if you ask them to do certain things, it's just like a different type of player. Our job as coaches is to make the scheme very digestible, I guess, make the scheme easy enough that these guys can go out there and understand what to do, no matter who you are. It's the player's responsibility and also the coach's responsibility to make sure that we're teaching these guys and they know what to do so their athleticism can take over. It can be a proper evaluation. Not knowing what to do, that's a terrible excuse not to make a team.
Q: Does anyone in camp still entail a conditioning test?
JM: Yeah, so it's part of the physical. Part of the physical is those guys going out there and running. It's always going to be here. The conditioning test will always be here. Thanks, I appreciate you guys.
