Patriots icon names 'biggest blunder' that could cost Jerod Mayo his job

Whispers continue to suggest that first-year New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo will spend the final three weeks of the season fighting to hold onto his job after he has generated headlines for regrettable reasons throughout what's become a 3-11 campaign for the organization. 

During the latest edition of the "Eye on Foxborough" podcast, Patriots icon, three-time Super Bowl champion and current NFL analyst Devin McCourty touched upon avoidable mistakes Mayo has made since September. 

"I think the biggest thing everybody always talks about is what is said after the game and then what is going to be said the next day," McCourty said about Mayo, as shared by Greg Dudek of NESN. "I would say that’s probably been his biggest blunder of the season is trying to figure out and control your emotions and everything right after a game, to be able to address the situation, address what happened, whatever it is that goes on."

McCourty was referencing how Mayo seemed to criticize offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt regarding a sequence that occurred late in the third quarter of New England's 30-17 loss at the Arizona Cardinals this past Sunday. Per Tom Carroll of Audacy, Mayo walked those comments back the following day, but that wasn't the first time the coach has found himself in hot water over something he said during the campaign. 

Perhaps most notably, Mayo referred to his team as "soft" following its Week 7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. New England subsequently won two of three games but has since endured four straight losses. 

"Maybe you don’t hit it exactly where you want, but you’re somewhat in the ballpark that you don’t have to be different, or say something different the next day. I’m sure he walks away saying like, 'I want to get better at this,'" McCourty added about Mayo. 

It remains to be seen if Patriots owner Robert Kraft and team president Jonathan Kraft will give Mayo another year "to get better at this," considering they were visibly upset while watching the team's offense in action against Arizona. Some continue to link New England in stories and reports with former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.  

Vrabel earned three Super Bowl rings playing for the Patriots from 2001-08 and is a one-time Associated Press Coach of the Year Award winner. If New England doesn't strike fast, the Las Vegas Raiders could land Vrabel due in part to his relationship with Raiders minority owner Tom Brady. 

Mayo must ignore such outside noise and concentrate on having his team ready to play at the 11-3 Buffalo Bills this Sunday. As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Patriots as massive 14-point underdogs for that showdown.