Patriots new HC Jarod Mayo receives backlash for sharing views on racism: “Hired a flaming racist”

After a disappointing 4-13 season that led to an early playoff exit, the New England Patriots bid farewell to their long-serving head coach, Bill Belichick, concluding his 24-season tenure. In a surprising move, the team introduced Jarod Mayo as the successor, and it seems, without conducting an extensive search.

Making history as the first black head coach for the Patriots, Mayo’s historic appointment garnered attention. Nevertheless, he quickly found himself in the spotlight and faced scrutiny from football fans due to remarks he made on the sensitive topic of racism.

Jarod Mayo shares his views on racism

In his first press conference as the Patriots’ head coach, Jerod Mayo shared his thoughts on the importance of acknowledging racial differences to combat racism. In this regard, he not only reflected on his personal journey but also the broader societal implications of breaking barriers in the world of professional football coaching.

“You better believe being the first black head coach here in New England means a lot to me. I do see color, because I believe if you don’t see color you can’t see racism.”

He then shared his perspective on the notion of color blindness as a solution to racism. Nevertheless, in Mayo’s candid discussion, the use of the phrase “make the spot hot” captures attention, bringing up the challenges faced by individuals who deviate from societal norms.

“Whatever happens, Black, White, disabled person – even someone with disabilities, for the most part people are like – when they’re young, they kind of make the spot hot. Younger people know what that means. But what I would say is, no, I want you to be able to go up to those people and really understand those people. It goes back to whatever it is, Black, White, yellow, it really doesn’t matter, but it does matter so we can try to fix the problem that we all know we have.”

Mayo’s words came after team owner Robert Kraft’s assertion of being “color blind” to take merit-based decision, where qualifications take precedence over racial considerations. 

Before this “racism” saga, Jarod Mayo marked his introduction as the 15th head coach in the Patriots’ storied history, becoming the fourth individual to transition from playing for the team’s previous coach to taking on the head coaching role since the 1970 merger. 

Before assuming the role of head coach, Mayo served as the Patriots’ linebacker coach. During his tenure in 2022, the team’s defense, under his guidance, achieved notable success, finishing the season ranked 8th in yards allowed.

Fans furious with Jarod Mayo’s comments on racism

Fans became wild following Jarod Mayo’s recent comments on racism, with many expressing fury over the decision to appoint what they perceive as a divisive figure to succeed a revered coaching legend.

A sentiment of discontent is evident as fans question the wisdom of selecting someone they label as a “flaming racist” to take the reins from a living legend.

One fan’s reaction was particularly pointed, expressing discontent with Mayo’s statement by sarcastically remarking, “So New England will be drafting the first dyslexic, trans, black, handicapped QB for next year.”

Some fans already started harboring the notion that if Mayo faces criticism for poor performance in his role, he might resort to playing the race card as a defense strategy.