Chantel Mayo, the wife of former New England Patriots coach Jerod, criticized “lies” about her husband's abrupt firing Sunday night.
The Patriots fired Mayo hours after a 23-16 victory over the Buffalo Bills in which New England lost the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Reports have since emerged about how Mayo struggled in his first season as head coach, with one report claiming he played cards on a flight home after a loss instead of analyzing tape.
Now, Chantel has taken to Instagram to defend her husband, posting her story in capital letters: “It never crossed our minds to tell the truth… but I couldn't understand all the lies we've read and are being told.” to keep appearances.
Chantel Mayo, the wife of former Patriots coach Jerod, criticized on social media
'What happened to the class????? We've been taking the high bar and letting everyone do their thing since Sunday.
But playing with someone's name will not be tolerated. I bet the fake stories will end before the real ones begin…'
Patriots owner Robert Kraft said firing Mayo was one of the hardest things he's had to do in his time as head of the franchise.
'I have known Jerod for 17 years. “He earned my respect and admiration as a rookie in 2008 and throughout his career for his play on the field, his leadership in the locker room and the way he carried himself in our community,” Kraft said.
'When he joined our coaching staff, his leadership was even more evident as I saw how the players responded to him. When other teams started asking to interview him, I feared losing him and committed to making him our next head coach.
“Winning our first road game of the season in Cincinnati only reinforced my beliefs. Unfortunately, the trajectory of our team's performances throughout the season was not as expected.'
The Patriots finished the season with a 4-13 record and Mike Vrabel is among the favorites to replace Mayo.
But the organization also announced that they had interviews with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson on Friday, the last of their scheduled interviews.
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