Buckley: As the first African American head coach of the Patriots, Jerod Mayo dares to discuss race.
Amidst the months of speculation that a former Massachusetts Patriots linebacker might succeed Bill Belichick as the team’s head coach, Jerod Mayo’s African American heritage was hardly mentioned.
Furthermore, in instances where the subject matter was alluded to, it was typically positioned in the third or fifth paragraph, devoid of supplementary quotations or historical analyses.
At the news conference, seated to Mayo’s right, Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft had completed his remarks before mentioning that his new coach is of African descent.
However, shortly thereafter, when asked what it means to him to have a black head coach, Kraft replied, “All I can say is that I’m truly color-blind in terms of knowing how I feel on Sundays when we lose, and I can simply say that my passion was with the New England Patriots, second only to my family. Although there is something else that’s a very close second, victory with the Patriots is my ultimate goal.”
I intend to acquire the most exceptional individuals possible. I selected the most qualified coach for this club.
By chance, he is an individual of color. “However, I selected him for the position as I believe he is the most qualified candidate.”
You certainly would. Mayo stated, “Being the first African-American coach in New England signifies a great deal to me.” “One must derive insights from others.” The color black, white, green, or yellow is essentially irrelevant. Both young and old.
As we progress, one aspect of my demeanor that will become apparent to you is my aversion to echo chambers.
I desire a social circle of individuals who will challenge my ideas and scrutinize our previous approaches. Because, in all honesty, this game has changed significantly since my 2008 draft.
I am extremely colorblind; I can only imagine how I will feel on Sunday should we lose. “I can simply say that my greatest passion is winning with the New England Patriots, second only to my family,” Kraft said.
“While there may be something else that comes close, winning via the Patriots is my true calling.”
“Therefore, my objective is to recruit individuals of the highest caliber.” I selected the most qualified head coach for this club.
By chance, he is an individual of color. However, I selected him for the position because I think he is the most qualified candidate.
Last week, the NFL community was shocked to learn of the resignation of legendary New England coach Bill Belichick.
Belichick, who is 15 victories short of becoming the most successful head coach in league history, led the Patriots to six Super Bowl victories during his 24 seasons with the organization.
The following day, it was disclosed that Mayo would replace Belichick. The 37-year-old linebacker spent eight seasons with the Patriots before being promoted to linebacker instructor in 2019.
Wednesday marked the official introduction of Mayo as the head coordinator of the Patriots. As Robert Kraft joined him, he addressed briefly the emotions associated with being the first black coach of the team.
Mayo stated, “I see color because perceiving color is necessary to perceive racism.” And regardless of who is involved—black, white, or even an individual with a disability—the general consensus is, “Don’t.” During their youth, they tend to warm up the area.
“Instead, I would like you to have the ability to approach those individuals and genuinely comprehend them,” I would say.
Thus, regardless of the color—black, white, or yellow—it is inconsequential; however, it is crucial that we attempt to resolve a problem that we are all aware of.
Kraft suggested that Mayo’s delineation could be done without considering race. He had a notable playing career for the Patriots before rejoining Belichick’s coaching staff a few years later, following a brief absence to work within the non-football world (“I needed a break from Bill,” Mayo joked).
Mayo subsequently emerged as a potential NFL coach-in-waiting; he declined an interview for the head coaching position with the Carolina Panthers, just as last year. We can assume that Kraft evaluated Mayo’s readiness to become a head coach at that time.