28-3. The largest comeback in Super Bowl history. The Patriots may have gone into halftime with a 25-point deficit, but two quarters and an overtime later, they’d defeated the Falcons 34-28 to clinch Super Bowl LI. Imagine being a part of that game in just your second season, contributing to New England’s historic comeback. Well, that’s precisely what it was like for David Andrews. But it wouldn’t have been possible without Tom Brady or Bill Belichick.

Calling it one of his all-time favorite games to have played, Andrews described the locker room atmosphere on his podcast, The Quick Snap. “In the first half, we never felt like we were out of control… we were in control of the game. It just wasn’t on the scoreboard. I remember looking at that and feeling no panic. There was no panic from Tom or other leaders on the football team.”

After that, the Patriots just went out and ensured their control was reflected on the scoreboard.

The Patriots and the Brady-Belichick duo won another Super Bowl a couple of years later (LIII), increasing their tally to six. But after the quarterback left the team to join the Buccaneers, things weren’t the same. As Andrews put it, “Tom and Bill needed each other.” That said, after 23 years of being one of the most acclaimed coaches in the NFL, Belichick had his worst season in 2023, leaving the Pats with a 4-13 record. But while he was having his worst season, David Andrews was having a great one.

“He’s been as good as I’ve seen, honestly,” Belichick said. “He’s shown a lot of physical toughness to play through [injuries], a lot of mental toughness. He would never come out of practice for a play. We have to take him out to help manage some of the bumps and bruises that he has. But this guy is a warrior.” So, when Belichick stepped down and former Patriot Jerod Mayo took over this year, the New England captain wanted to display the same resolve and dedication to the new head coach.

This was evident from his answer to a fan’s question on Instagram. On October 19, David Andrews wrote on his story, “I’m gonna be answering questions all day,” asking fans to send them on The Quick Snap‘s account. A fan asked, “What’s the biggest difference without Bill?” Instead of focusing on the former coach, Andrews decided to show his support for Jerod Mayo.

“Fair question. I am not gonna get into specifics, but when Jerod was hired, that was a big reason I wanted to come back and work with him. And trying to be part of the team he was trying to build,” Andrews wrote, adding, “Jerod obviously has great perspective ’cause he was a player and knows what it’s like.”

Mayo spent all eight years of his NFL career (2008-2015) with the Patriots. During his time in New England, the linebacker captained the team 7 times and registered 536 solo tackles, 266 assists, 11.0 sacks, 7 fumble recoveries, and 3 interceptions. Playing under Belichick, many of his teammates even called him ‘Mini Bill’ because he assessed games through a coach’s lens. So, it made sense when the former coach hired Mayo as the inside linebackers coach in 2019. And it also made sense that he was Bill Belichick’s successor.

Speaking of the team he’s trying to build, the Patriots had plenty of money to spend last offseason, but they couldn’t reel in any big fish in free agency. They tried to get wide receiver Calvin Ridley on board, but he ended up picking the Titans over the Pats. Jerod Mayo has a vision for the team. That’s clear. But what’s going on with them lately?

Their O-line is really struggling, their skill players aren’t exactly lighting it up either. To be honest, they might have the weakest group in the whole league right now. Although Coach Belichick received criticism for some draft selections that were unsuccessful, it’s worth noting that Coach Mayo and his staff have also faced difficulties in meaningfully improving the team’s talent pool for the 2024 season. It’s tough to watch, especially if you’re a Pats fan.

The New England community is eagerly awaiting Jerod Mayo’s fresh approach, which is something he has teased…

Jerod Mayo has prepared Drake Maye for the upcoming games

The Pats are off to a rough start at 1-5, having dropped five straight after a surprise win against the Bengals in the opener. Mayo’s been catching heat in his first year as head coach. Drake Maye disappointed many in his debut game as a starter quarterback against the Jets. The youngster was under pressure and was unable to completely flourish, but it appears that his coach has made him ready for the level of play in the NFL.

Jerod Mayo has been paying extra attention to the young quarterback in practice, and he has improved a lot. Not only that, but in a recent NFL Media appearance, the head coach claimed that opposing teams are unprepared for the rookie quarterback. The head coach has been aiming to change everything because he wants the players to forget about prior losses and focus on the future. Mayo claimed, “We’re hitting the reset button and looking forward to building something special.”

This simply implies that the head coach is hoping to build chemistry within a team one week after another. And although making the playoffs and completely turning their season around following the 1-5 start would be a tough task, he’s just focusing on making gains every time they step onto the gridiron. This is precisely what David Andrews is looking forward to building with Jerod Mayo.

In fact, the captain feels Drake Maye could be just what the Patriots need. While Andrews is out with a shoulder injury, he did get to watch Maye’s debut last Sunday when New England played the Texans. In that game, Maye threw for 263 yards and 3 touchdowns, but he also registered 3 turnovers. Understandably, the rookie wasn’t too happy with himself, and that’s what Andrews liked.

On The Quick Snap podcast, he said, “Looking at Drake, that’s something I like about him knowing he’s not satisfied with that. He knows he left a lot of plays out there, like all players do. I thought that was encouraging for me to see.”

That said, how do you think the New England Patriots’ season will play out? Do you believe Jerod Mayo has the potential to turn it around in the coming weeks?