The New England Patriots have been just as awful as most fans expected them to be at this stage of their rebuilding process.

After a four-game losing streak, the team is now 3-11 and has arguably the worst offense in football.

There have been few bright spots outside of rookie No. 3 pick Drake Maye, and the team’s overall futility has many fans wondering if head coach Jerod Mayo will be a one-and-done coach.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport spoke about Mayo and the Patriots before Sunday’s slate of games and said, “The Krafts want to keep Jerod Mayo. They believe he is the leader for the organization for the future and they knew it would be a multi-year process to get this thing right. That is their stance right now.”

From @NFLGameDay: #Bills QB Josh Allen has been playing at an MVP-caliber level… with a broken hand; Meanwhile, the #Patriots view Jerod Mayo as their leader for the future and absent a freefall to end the season, he’s likely to return. pic.twitter.com/J80DjdptZg

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 22, 2024

Rapoport added that if things don’t turn over the final three games and Mayo doesn’t lose the locker room, he should return as the head coach for next season and beyond if things start improving.

The reality is that a head coach can only do so much with a roster like this, and the Pats need more talent at nearly every position.

Until that happens, there’s no way to get an accurate assessment of the job Mayo is doing.

The most important thing down the stretch is to let Maye continue to develop as a quarterback.

In the offseason, the priority will be getting him more protection and weapons.

There would always be a hangover period when Bill Belichick left, and it’s way too early to call for Mayo to be axed.

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