Patriots' Jerod Mayo shares promise about coaching future amid uncertainty

Earlier this week, Bill Barnwell of ESPN suggested that first-year New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo could be on the hot seat with the Patriots at 3-10 during their bye. 

On the latest edition of the "Patriots Talk Podcast" that was released on Thursday, Mayo spoke with NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran (h/t Darren Hartwell) and made a promise to fans about his future. 

"I’m sure, one hundred percent, that I’ll be a better coach in year two than I am in year one," Mayo said, as shared by Keagan Stiefel of NESN. "I would also say, when you’re out there on the field, for me, at least, I’ll always try to do what is best for the football team. We’re always trying to win every game."

A Patriots team lacking talent on both sides of the football fell to 1-6 on the season before it was reported that Mayo was not "assured of a second season" as head coach. However, Patriots/NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated subsequently said that franchise owner Robert Kraft and team president Jonathan Kraft were still "solidly behind" Mayo and understood he's had to deal with "some of the noise on the outside" while serving as the replacement for six-time Super Bowl champion head coach Bill Belichick.

"We speak all the time," Mayo said about his relationships with the Krafts. "...Coaching is about relationships. Business is about relationships. And they've been an open book as far as, if I have a question on managing processes or leading people, they have been very open and honest with me on some of those things, and it's going to make me a better coach going forward." 

In November, The Athletic's Mike Jones mentioned that "Robert Kraft handpicked Mayo as the Patriots' coach-in-waiting late in Bill Belichick’s legendary tenure" and, thus, would likely give Mayo "time to grow into his role while the Patriots further fortify the roster around (rookie quarterback) Drake Maye." 

Of course, history shows such situations can seemingly change overnight, especially if a coach who is working with a rookie signal-caller loses members of his locker room during a campaign.