Let’s cut to the chase: the 2024 New England Patriots were a mess. A 4-13 record doesn’t lie, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. It wasn’t just about losing games; it was about how they lost them. Blown leads, regression on defense, quarterback roulette—you name it, they struggled with it. Yet, after all that, Rob Gronkowski needs more reasons.

Really, Gronk? “I believe it was kinda unfair to him… You gotta give him one more year,” he said. But let’s be real—when a culture is broken, time isn’t a magic fix. Don’t get started with the culture. It’s like the Pats were playing checkers while the rest of the league was playing chess. I mean, after you got a dynasty handed over to you by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, you just had to keep it ticking. Not that hard, right? Turns out it was hard enough for Mayo.

The roster wasn’t bad, per se, on paper. But on the field, it was chaos. Injuries piled up, quarterbacks couldn’t get it together, and the once-feared Pats defense looked like it forgot how to tackle. Even the fans had checked out, and when New England stops caring, you know it’s bad.

But hey, give Rob Gronkowski credit for loyalty. He and Mayo go way back, and it’s clear there’s some genuine respect there. Still, believing one more season would’ve changed anything feels… optimistic. Culture shifts don’t happen overnight, and Mayo’s attempt to implement a new system seemed to clash with everyone involved.

Media scrutiny didn’t help either, as every postgame presser turned into a minefield. Rookie head coach? More like rookie target practice. When his injured captain, David Andrews, took time out from his rehab to let him know the greatness of the Bill-Brady era, you know a lot’s up!

The Patriots’ season was a highlight reel of inconsistency. Week 1 teased promise with a surprise win over the Bengals. But then came blowouts, blown leads, and, somehow, a loss to Buffalo’s backups in week 16. It was the kind of season that has fans asking, “Why are we even watching this?” And honestly, who can blame them? When the defense can’t hold a lead, and the offense barely crosses midfield, frustration is inevitable.

So, what’s next for New England? Mayo is out, and the team is left looking for answers. Maybe Gronk’s right that Mayo wasn’t entirely to blame, but at some point, results matter. And in Foxborough, four wins just don’t cut it. Guess that’s why Michael Strahan had to step in to remind Rob to think about the glory days… or just keep quiet!

Is Rob Gronkowski over-endorsing Mayo?

The NFL’s version of Black Monday… When coaches got the axe, and Jerod Mayo joined the list, one name wasn’t all-in with that. With a losing season, an exit cloud does loom. And so, when it was just 4 Ws, the Patriots said, “Thanks, but no thanks,” and showed Mayo the door.

Shocking? Not really. But it clearly blindsided Rob Gronkowski, who wasn’t shy about his feelings during a chat with Michael Strahan on FOX. “I think it was unfair to coach Jerod Mayo. I mean, he never had the chance to develop as a head coach,” Gronk said, visibly irked. Right when he was about to dive deeper, Strahan hit the buzzer: “Hey, we gotta go to break.” It was as if he had heard enough from Rob.

You can’t help but wonder—what else did Gronk have to say? Clearly, he thinks Mayo deserved more time. And yeah, he’s got a point. Bill Belichick didn’t exactly light it up in his first year in Boston either, and we all know how that turned out. But let’s face it: this isn’t the early 2000s Patriots. This team has been stuck in quicksand since Tom Brady peaced out.

Even Robert Kraft admitted Mayo’s firing wasn’t easy. “This was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made,” Kraft said after the Pats wrapped their season with a win over the Bills. Mayo probably saw the writing on the wall, but ouch—what a way to end things.

So now the Pats are in scramble mode. Mike Vrabel, anyone? The 49-year-old former Patriot seems like the frontrunner, but he’s got options, including the Bears. If Vrabel decides to pass, who’s Plan B? Because right now, the Pats look like they’re grasping at straws.