Jerod Mayo might be keeping his head down after the Patriots handed him his walking papers, but his silence? Oh, that’s been deafening. After a rough 4-13 season, you’d think someone might have something to say. Maybe a tell-all interview, a cryptic post, something. But nope, Mayo’s been quiet ever since Robert Kraft axed him, as a fourth-quarter clock in a blowout.

In the NFL world, where the carousel keeps spinning with coaches like Dennis Allen and Robert Saleh airing out their exits. Mayo, though? Still no word.

Enter Chantel Mayo, stage left, mic in hand. If Jerod’s playing it cool, Chantel’s turned up the heat—and she’s not holding back. Taking to Instagram, she called out the Patriots with a post that could have scorched the turf at Gillette Stadium.

“What happened to class? Playing with someone’s name won’t be tolerated,” she wrote, making it crystal clear that the Mayo household is done turning the other cheek. And honestly, can you blame her? Chantel’s fiery post came with a mic-drop-worthy quote: “The attack against you only indicates the potential that’s within you.”

Well, well, well, you were wrong if you thought only Rob Gronkowski was behind Mayo. Obviously, his wife’s the first to back him up. How could we forget? But the thing is what got her fired up? Well, let’s rephrase that too ‘What all?’ 

Mainly, it’s the spreading lies to “save face” that has got her riled up. Now, that was not random, per se. What really lit the fuse? Likely a report by the Boston Herald that painted Jerod’s time with the Patriots in a less-than-flattering light. According to the report, Mayo often posed questions to staff like, “What do you think is the answer here? What do you think of this problem, and what can we do to solve this?”

But rather than genuinely considering their responses, Mayo allegedly dismissed their input with remarks like, “Well, let me tell you why you’re wrong.” This behavior reportedly created tension and raised concerns about his leadership approach. I mean, we did hear him throwing players under the bus (which became redundant like a broken tape recorder). But what goes on behind the curtains remains there until someone claims they have seen it, and heard it, all.

However, Chantel is here to squash those claims. But she also believes that this isn’t just a football move; it’s an affront to her husband’s character, and she’s not staying silent about it. Now, who’s telling the truth? That’s anybody’s guess. But it makes us wonder if this chaotic environment is the reason Robert Kraft is not getting any suitors? 

Are the coaches getting cautious after the Jerod Mayo treatment?

So, what exactly is the “Jerod Mayo treatment”? Let’s break it down. When Robert Kraft pushed to bring Mayo into the Patriots’ fold, it seemed like a done deal—Mayo was being groomed for greatness. Even Kraft said, “When other teams started requesting to interview him, I feared I would lose him and committed to making him our next head coach.” So, Kraft, why did you pull the plug just a season later after a 4-13 record? Ouch. For someone who was supposed to be the guy, that’s one quick reversal.

Now, Pats Nation wasn’t exactly lining up to defend Mayo. The playcalling? Rough. Accountability? Lacking. It’s fair to say trust between Mayo and the fanbase hit rock bottom. But firing a coach you backed so strongly just feels… messy. Couldn’t they give him one more shot to turn it around? Apparently not. So, this whole saga might be giving other coaching candidates pause. After all, if the guy Kraft handpicked couldn’t survive, what hope does anyone else have?

Take Aaron Glenn, for example. The Lions’ defensive coordinator reportedly said “thanks, but no thanks” to an interview with the Patriots. Why? Maybe he didn’t want to walk into a situation where the writing’s already on the wall. Rumors are swirling that Mike Vrabel is Kraft’s favorite, which might’ve made Glenn think, “Why waste my time?” You can’t blame him. No one wants to play second fiddle before they’ve even suited up.

But what are the Patriots doing in terms of search? Surely, firing Jerod Mayo cannot be the only step?! Right now, they are just swinging between HCs. Ben Johnson, Pep Hamilton, that’s one name after the other. Then there’s Vrabel. And out of all, his name sounds like stars aligning perfectly. Doesn’t it? The guy’s a walking piece of Pats’ history—three Super Bowls, an All-Pro nod, and countless iconic moments from his 2001-2008 run in New England. He knows the Patriot Way because he lived it.

Plus, his coaching résumé isn’t too shabby either. The only problem? Vrabel himself. If he’s the guy, great—but what if he isn’t sold on the Patriots? The Raiders are reportedly in the mix, too, and Vrabel’s been open to exploring his options. If he bails and other top candidates have already passed, what’s the backup plan? Spoiler: there probably isn’t one.

Bottom line? The Patriots can’t fumble this decision. The post-Belichick era is already off to a rocky start, and another misstep could send the franchise into a tailspin. Let’s just hope the Krafts aren’t too busy looking for their next “guy” to realize they might be scaring off the very people who could help turn things around.