Jerod Mayo didn't hold back, calling the New England Patriots "soft" after their latest loss, a 32-16 beating from the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. The first-year coach made it clear he wasn't happy with the team's performance, pointing to their inability to run the ball, stop the run, or even cover kicks.
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He said it was soft across the board. That's strong language from a coach who's still getting his feet wet, but the question now is whether it's going to pay off or cause some tension.
Enter Bill Belichick.
The six-time Super Bowl champion didn't exactly endorse Mayo's comments when he joined The Pat McAfee Show on Monday.
Instead, Belichick reminded everyone that the same players Mayo was calling soft helped lead the league in rushing defense last year. And for those paying close attention, Belichick doubled down later in the Let's Go! podcast with Tom Brady, saying, "If the team played bad, it's my responsibility. It's coaching too."
In other words, if you're going to question toughness, don't forget to include yourself.
It's classic Belichick. He wasn't about to throw his players under the bus, even if his young coach felt the need to get vocal. This is still Belichick's team, and while Mayo's intentions might have been good, the Patriots' longtime leader has always taken a different approach.
He holds everyone accountable, himself included. So while Mayo is pointing fingers, Belichick's looking at the whole picture, and right now, that picture includes some coaching issues as well.
Mayo's trying to light a fire, no doubt. But if you know anything about New England, you know Belichick doesn't operate like that publicly.
Now, whether this becomes a teachable moment for Mayo — or just a bump in the road — remains to be seen. Either way, the message from Belichick was loud and clear.
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