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It’s time for the Patriots to fire Jerod Mayo and set sights on Mike Vrabel

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It’s time for the Patriots to fire Jerod Mayo and set sights on Mike Vrabel

FOXBORO, Mass. — Jerod Mayo’s walk back to the locker room was slow. It was an eerie evening here. Foggy, dark, foreboding. Even though his tenure has lasted only 16 games, Mayo’s done this walk several times, the sulked retreat to the locker room after a performance that feels like rock bottom only for a new low to arrive.

But this one feels different. This one really has to be rock bottom. The kind that leads to change.

For weeks, the New England Patriots have signaled to every NFL insider with a cell phone that they really wanted Mayo to return for a second season as head coach. Robert Kraft had made Mayo the handpicked successor to all Bill Belichick built. They knew he’d have learning moments as a first-time head coach. But they really wanted it to work out. Essentially, the message was this: Just don’t make the Patriots an embarrassment, and you’re back for Year 2.

This one, though — Los Angeles Chargers 40, Patriots 7 — leaves no doubt. The Patriots are an embarrassment. They’re 3-13. They haven’t scored 30 or more points in 44 straight games. They’ve surrendered at least that many six times this season alone. They hadn’t lost six in a row since 1993 — now they’ve done it twice this year. For a second straight season, they’re going to finish with a sub-.300 winning percentage, something they haven’t done since they were the AFL’s Boston Patriots.

All of which is to say more simply: It’s time.

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Time for change. Time for Kraft to admit this has all been too much too soon for Mayo and set sights on hiring Mike Vrabel to be the Patriots’ new head coach.

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Kraft’s plan seemed a reasonable one once upon a time. Mayo seemed a natural successor to Belichick. He played for him and was lured into coaching by him. He could take Belichick’s core beliefs and pair them with a more modern approach. It seemed like it had a chance to work. And what a story it would’ve been.

But 16 games in, it’s painfully obvious that Mayo is in over his head. Perhaps it wouldn’t be this simple if the crop of available coaches was a group without any ties to the Patriots who may not even consider a franchise that’s been in the wilderness since Tom Brady left five years ago.

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What should make it an easy decision for Kraft is that the fix is obvious. One of the two best available coaches is a Patriots Hall of Famer, a tough, no-nonsense guy who could both be a bridge to the glory years while yielding optimism about what’s to come in Foxboro. In short, what Mayo was supposed to be.

Another way to look at it is this: The best case is that Mayo turns things around, gets buy-in from players, and with more talent on his roster, yields the kind of culture Vrabel built in Tennessee while getting the most out of his teams. But if that’s the hope, why not just hire Vrabel?


Mike Vrabel is the obvious choice for the Patriots if they move on from Jerod Mayo after one season. (Eric Canha / USA Today)

There’s no guarantee most years that other free-agent coaches would have any interest in the Patriots. But Vrabel would. He could return to the franchise where he became a three-time Super Bowl champion as a driving force of the first dynasty. And, importantly, he has a good relationship with Kraft. The Pats owner wined and dined Vrabel during the Titans’ bye week last year when Vrabel was inducted, rolling out the red carpet as a thank you for all Vrabel meant to the Pats (and maybe as an apology for trading him in 2009), which at the time irked some back in Tennessee watching Vrabel bask in all things Patriots. Even if the Patriots job wouldn’t be all that intriguing to some coaches, that’s not the case with Vrabel.

At this point, what’s the argument for bringing back Mayo? Just that Kraft once saw a lot of promise in him and they owe it to him to give him a chance with a better roster? Is that enough to let Vrabel go elsewhere, then potentially have to make a switch next year if things don’t work out and have to search through a new crop of available coaches who don’t have ties to the Patriots?

That path would mean changes to Mayo’s coaching staff, potentially swapping out his offensive and defensive coordinators. Alex Van Pelt’s offense has been really bad, and somehow DeMarcus Covington’s defense has been even worse. On national TV Saturday, the Chargers had 428 yards to the Patriots’ 181. They had 29 first downs to the Patriots’ 11. They had the ball for more than two-thirds of the game.

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Back at the bye that started this month, the mandate to Mayo and his coaching staff seemed obvious. Just don’t become a trainwreck at the end of the season. Show some improvement here and there even if it doesn’t add up to a bunch of wins.

But in the three games since then, the Patriots have been blown out by the Arizona Cardinals, blew a 14-point lead to the Buffalo Bills and got blown out by the Chargers.

Everything about the latest one was embarrassing. Ladd McConkey, the rookie receiver they didn’t want in the second round, torched them for two touchdowns and 94 yards — outproducing the combined season-long effort from the receivers the Patriots drafted instead (Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker). The defense was gashed and lost its best player (Christian Gonzalez) to injury. The offense stunk and got Drake Maye smoked a few times.

Even the odd parts of this team that don’t really matter are embarrassing, like Mayo telling the broadcast crew before the game that they were going to start Antonio Gibson at running back to send a message to Rhamondre Stevenson … only to then start Stevenson.

“Coach’s decision” was all Mayo could muster three different times when pressed on the move.

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At this point, he’s a coach without answers. Maybe if he had another year to be a mentee under Belichick this could’ve worked out. Or maybe if Eliot Wolf’s draft class hadn’t been a total disaster outside of Maye then Mayo could yield more production with a better roster.

Instead, Gillette Stadium was dotted by empty seats Saturday, an uncomfortable reminder of where they’re at.

Kraft invited Maye’s family to watch the game from his suite high above the 50-yard line. It’s obvious the Patriots feel they have their franchise quarterback. They owe it to him to surround him with better players — and, based on the last 16 games, better coaches.

The hope was that Mayo would get better as the season went on and he learned the ropes of a new job. His team would reflect that improvement.

Instead, the Patriots found a new rock bottom on an afternoon when an uncomfortable reality set in. It’s time to make another change at head coach.

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(Top photo: Kathryn Riley / Getty Images)

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Eli Manning fires back amid debate comparing ex-Giants star to Falcons great Matt Ryan

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Eli Manning fires back amid debate comparing ex-Giants star to Falcons great Matt Ryan

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Eli Manning retired in 2019 and missed out in his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility in 2025. He was passed over again earlier this year but still fired back at a fan who claimed one of his contemporaries was the better quarterback.

On Tuesday, a social media user floated a theory about former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. Ryan, who now oversees football operations as the team’s president, last played in an NFL game in 2022. He announced his retirement in 2024, making him eligible for Hall of Fame consideration beginning in 2028.

“Matt Ryan was a better QB than Eli Manning… people just worship rings. Agree or nah,” the post read.

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New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning greets Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan after their game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Oct. 22, 2018. (Jason Getz/USA TODAY Sports)

Manning caught wind of the suggestion and weighed in, pointing to the two Super Bowl-winning teams he was part of during his standout run with the New York Giants.

“I will ponder this while I play with my rings…,” Manning wrote in a quote-tweet.

Ryan’s statistical production surpasses Manning’s, at least on paper. He was named NFL MVP in 2016, an honor Manning never earned. Ryan is also the most accomplished player in Falcons history and finished his career with more than 62,000 regular-season passing yards, compared with Manning’s 57,023.

NFC head coach Eli Manning leads a huddle during a practice session before the NFL Pro Bowl at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on Feb. 4, 2023. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)

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Both quarterbacks were selected to four Pro Bowls, but the key difference lies in championships. Manning won the Super Bowl in 2007 and 2011, while Ryan reached it once but fell short. Manning threw for a single season career-best 4,933 during the run leading up to the second Super Bowl title.

Ryan threw for 284 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions to help the Falcons build a 25-point lead in the championship game — a matchup remembered for the New England Patriots engineering the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan passes the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the second half at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Jan. 2, 2022. (Rich Barnes/USA TODAY Sports)

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The Falcons have reached the Super Bowl twice in franchise history, first in 1998, but the team is still chasing its first elusive championship.

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The Giants marked their 100th season in 2024, winning four Super Bowls over the franchise’s century-long history.

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Rams coach Sean McVay says Puka Nacua is ‘doing really well’ after rehab stint

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Rams coach Sean McVay says Puka Nacua is ‘doing really well’ after rehab stint

Star receiver Puka Nacua will fully participate in voluntary offseason workouts, the Rams are getting closer to another contract adjustment with quarterback Matthew Stafford, and coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead hope backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo decides to put off retirement and return for a third season and possible Super Bowl run.

McVay and Snead addressed those topics and the NFL draft on Tuesday during a videoconference with reporters.

Nacua led the NFL in receptions last season but also was involved in a string of off-the-field incidents the last few months, including an alleged biting incident that led to a civil lawsuit. Those situations put the brakes on any immediate discussion between the Rams and Nacua about a massive extension for the fourth-year pro.

In March, Nacua began a rehabilitation program in Malibu, but he was present for the first day of workouts on Monday.

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Nacua, 24, “looks great” and is “doing really well,” McVay said. McVay declined to detail discussions he’s had with the All-Pro, who was a finalist for NFL offensive player of the year.

“He and I have a great relationship,” McVay said. “Feel really good about kind of the direction we’re going.”

Stafford, 38, led the Rams to the NFC championship game last season and is the reigning NFL most valuable player. According to overthecap.com, he is due to carry a salary-cap number of $48.3 million this season.

But Stafford has no doubt demanded, and will receive, a raise and a possible additional year in a deal that the Rams acknowledged two years ago is essentially a year-to-year situation.

“Progress has been made,” Snead said of negotiations.

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There is no timeline, Snead said, “but don’t expect any drama, per se.”

Garoppolo, 34, has backed up Stafford for two seasons, and he has been invaluable.

Last year, with Stafford sidelined for training camp because of a back issue, Garoppolo ran the offense and prepped the defense with a skillset honed during a 12-year career that included a Super Bowl appearance. Stafford joined workouts before the season and remained healthy throughout, but Garoppolo was perhaps the most valuable insurance policy in the NFL.

Last season, Garoppolo played on a one-year contract and earned $4.5 million, according to overthecap.com.

McVay expressed confidence in fourth-year pro Stetson Bennett, but said he was hopeful that “when the time is right,” Garoppolo will “change his mind,” and return.

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“You leave the door open,” McVay said when asked if there was a point that Rams would press Garoppolo to return. “I don’t think you want to press. What you don’t want to do is ever force a guy to play if in his mind he’s ready to move on.

“But you don’t want to minimize that, ‘Hey, if you do decide you want to play, let’s make sure it’s here with us.”

The Rams have the 13th pick in the NFL draft, which begins Thursday in Pittsburgh. They have one pick in the second and third rounds, one in the sixth round and three in the seventh.

Receiver, offensive line and edge rusher are among the positions the Rams could address with their first top-15 pick since they selected quarterback Jared Goff with the No. 1 pick in 2016.

“There’s a lot of possibilities,” McVay said. “We don’t control what happens in those 12 picks before, and so what we’ve done is a lot of contingency planning and a lot of conversations, and feel really good about that.”

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PGA Tour signals new era with axing of Hawaii events from schedule

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PGA Tour signals new era with axing of Hawaii events from schedule

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The PGA Tour has announced that it will not be hosting an event in Hawaii during the 2027 season, ending a 56-year run of holding a tournament in The Aloha State. The change comes as the Tour and CEO Brian Rolapp have consistently teased a revamped schedule beginning next year.

The Tour was forced to cancel The Sentry at the start of the 2026 campaign due to the dying grass on the Plantation Course at Kapalua amid a local dispute with the company responsible for delivering water to the area. 

An aerial view of the golf course from over the ocean prior to The Sentry at The Plantation Course at Kapalua on December 31, 2023 in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR) (Ben Jared/PGA TOUR)

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With The Sentry being canceled, the Sony Open at Waialae Country on Oahu served as the Tour’s season opener in ‘26, which was won by Chris Gotterup. The event was in the final year of its sponsorship, although the Tour has shared that it is working toward making the event the opening event on the PGA Tour Champions circuit.

Chris Gotterup of the United States celebrates with the trophy on the 18th green after his winning round of the Sony Open in Hawaii 2026 at Waialae Country Club on January 18, 2026 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images) (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

The Tour’s removal of The Sentry and the Sony Open wipes out what has now turned into a traditional two-week stretch on the island to begin a new season.

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The PGA Tour did not share further details about the 2027 schedule upon its announcement about leaving Hawaii, but with Sentry reportedly being an event title-sponsor through 2035, it will need to find a new landing spot on the calendar. The logical stop would be Torrey Pines in San Diego, which checks the West Coast and great weather boxes, but the venue is also looking for a new sponsor, as its deal with Farmers Insurance ended in 2026.

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View of the 18th hole is seen during the final round of The Sentry at The Plantation Course at Kapalua on January 5, 2025 in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images) (Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

The Tour’s decision not to begin next season in Hawaii makes sense, as there are plenty of venues in the lower 48 states that are much easier to operate from, but the departure will have a tremendous financial impact on the state.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports that The Sentry is estimated to have a $50 million annual impact on the community, while the Sony Open directly generates an estimated $100 million in revenue per year, plus another $1 million per year to Friends of Hawaii charities.

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