Patriots' Jerod Mayo Says He Wants Players To Be 'Uncomfortable'

The New England Patriots head coach gave us a look inside his coaching philosophy.

Jun 10, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo walks to the microphones for to hold a press conference at minicamp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Since deciding to pivot off of the legendary Bill Belichick after an extensive 24 seasons with the franchise, many fans may not know exactly what they're getting from New England Patriots first-year head coach Jerod Mayo.

However, when listening to Mayo talk about some of his anticipations for this roster across the coming season, some expectations for the team don't seem to sway too far from Belichick's own sentiment from when he was running the show.

Mayo recently sounded off on a few of his thoughts when it came to this roster's aspiring development. The New England coach hammered home the significance of his guys being able to navigate through trials and challenges on and off the field while being "uncomfortable."

"I talked to players about the ability to be uncomfortable doing things. You have to go through growth pains. You have to be uncomfortable to get comfortable. Making sure we thrive and not be comfortable. That's how I am, and that's how I want our players to be."

- Jerod Mayo

When taking a step back to look at the recent state of the Patriots, it's hard not to feel uncomfortable with the results. After amassing a 12-22 record across the past two seasons, New England has had their fair share of growing pains to traverse through.

It seems Mayo understands the task he has at hand to get this squad back on track, and it starts at the top with strong leadership. He's has remained consistent in his emphasis on being a development-focused coach since his arrival, and it's exactly the type of fresh voice a young Patriots group needs to return to their dominant form.

New England may still be a few steps away from title contention, but the building blocks to get there are already in-house. Don't expect Jerod Mayo this roster to remain complacent in their efforts to climb back to the peak of the mountain.

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