Head Coach Jerod Mayo 12/26: "As soon as you enter these doors it has to be all about football"

Published Dec 26, 2024, 5:54 PM

Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo addresses the media on Thursday, December 26, 2024.

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Hopefully everyone had a good Christmas. Happy holidays everyone. Yesterday for me it was good, you know, spend time with family and watch some football. You know, I will say, you know, you stay thinking about the Chargers as well though, so it was a good time to spend with family. And now we're back at work. You do talk to the guys a little bit about compartmentalizing. You know, when you're with your family, you're with your family. But now it's go time. It's showtime, and we have to get ready to play a good football team here Saturday, Fireway.

How what's that balance like now going forward? All football in a short week, coming off the holiday. What's your biggest message to them? It's all about football and it's about execution. You know.

It's not about the weather, it's not about any of those outside things. It's not about the family being in town. You know, as soon as you cross the white lines, it has to be all about football. As soon as you entered these doors, it has to be all about football. We're here to win football games and that's what we intend to do.

How much I mean, did all of you talk to the players about embracing the role of spoiling.

No, we've had those conversations, you know.

And I would also say, you know, it just goes back to whoever's playing the best that day, he's gonna win the football game. Which you did last week or the week before, It really doesn't matter. And that's the beauty about this game.

How much ward?

Did you?

Guys do want a lot of the talkeet in the draft.

And you remember, but yeah, we just to work on them very you know, a guy that can get open versus man and man coverage and look he's playing well right now. He also does a good job finding space in his zone coverages, and he's definitely a player you got to keep your eye.

Came to like, you know, not exelecting a player like that was how much was it due to his position being a slaughter receiver?

You guys having a slaughter I mean, look, you know, as a whole, I would say, we're always looking to improve our roster. Now what position that that happens to be could change on a daily basis.

You know during those times. So, uh, look, we got the guys that we have here, and our focus is just on this game.

Ben Brown's not think he didn't just say podcast and then projected injury.

You know, yesterday is the same game. Are you preparing or.

Potentially pretty cool strengthen that positions?

How are you planning Ben Brown soccer? From some question right now?

Yeah, Ben, Ben Brown's in the protocol and you know, once they go into the protocol, it's really out of our hands. It's in the league's hands now. And saying that, you know, we have to have guys ready, and so you know, you think about let's see this, You think about Cole, you think about those guys and they got to be ready to go.

Okay, it's healthy enough. The players we're playing a lot also been listed in the same inclandry for it feels like most of the season unless you feel like that's hampered the Kyle Duggart, you feel which money's healthy?

How big is that gap?

I don't want to get into like how big the gap is. What I will say is, you know, dougg is obviously pushing through something and we all appreciate it. You know, from our perspective, that's what football is all about this time of the year. There are many people dealing with nagging injuries that may or may not have to get addressed at the end of the season. But he's doing his best and we appreciate it.

Right the position you're out obviously the first you're coaching the players as you know, a staunchly defended you. But also they've said what we've seen from him is the same thing we're trying to do is growing from day one to where we are now. Where were we want to continue to grow And what are some of the things that you've grown best at and also grown with the players doing what you do.

Look, I understand the question It's a great question. That's more of a after the season type of reflection point for me personally, I appreciate the players and wanting to go out there and play hard every single day. I know, a record sometimes it's hard, you know, when your record is like this to go out here and play on a down after down base is and you know, the guys that have been doing it.

You talk about compartmentalizing for many many years.

Nobody get it better than this team.

Uh, and whatever one's facing off the field out the field, well, what are the keys to apartmentalize?

Yeah, to me, it's just look, this is a job.

You know, It's a sport that we all grew up, you know, dreaming and playing the NFL at the highest level. And sometimes I think, you know, just in general me as a player, you forget that it's a job sometimes. And uh, that's that's the one thing that these guys have to remember.

You know.

You can, you can break it down all you want to on family, you know, but but it is a job.

You believes the.

Key oners instares be hard on the self to you, good.

Players receiving something and just in generally.

Talk to me about like taking any the world victories for me, we're gonna win.

You to not win any.

Sense of frustration, you sort of like balance that with like hard work part of the works.

If you just keep that and you didn't get the.

Players, I think it's commendable, you know, for you know, Keon to sit there and look in the mirror himself and you have to be honest with yourself. I have to be honest with myself and so the rest of the coaches and players and you know, oftentimes that's that's very difficult. And you know, going back to Keyon, he recognizes that, and you know he's taking steps to get better for these last couple of weeks of the season. That's doing extra work, that's doing extra treatment, extra you know, extra in the weight room, all of those things. So hopefully we get the key On that we all want to see here on Saturday.

What did you think of Marte mont Who's performance last week and is seeing more of the players that you want to continue to see more for the mention young guys get more chances.

Yeah, it's good to get Marte out there. You know, a guy that's versatile, smart, can play safety, play linebacker, front to get that intersection. Obviously we want to stay in the end zone. But that was a huge play, and then you know, I think it was the next play he had an opportunity to get another one.

And you know, he's another.

Guy that you know, he still has room to grow, and I think he recognizes that a.

Short week holiday in the fact that Jim Marbuzz teams are always in the toughest whatever level, wherever he's been. How much do you think this game might be a reflection of the toughness and focus you want.

To see from your team.

Well, I'm not sure. You know, I think the guys are dialed in. You know, we had our squad meeting this morning and the guys had a great Christmas with their family and they're ready to go out here and play, and that's what we need to do.

Kick a couple of times because you're about and kind of his growth and his development. Of course this eason, the productions.

What is he doing down maybe that he wasn't doing I don't know about now.

I would say like coming into the season, he's shown with tremendous growth off the field. You know, you can tell, you know, he's really a professional. He's putting in the extra work and it's showing up on game day.

You see no oftentime coaches can see.

You know, when you're winning, guys, it's easy to see who the football players are who really wants to get Have you seen that in the losing here, even though it's tough to lose, if any player separated themselves as a guy that comes to work every single.

Day cares immensely, do you see that separation?

It's you know, I always talk about the crane will eventually rise to the top, and going through these tough times with our feet to the fire, you really start to see the guys that are with you and the guys that aren't. I would also say, you know, you grow through pain, You grow through these types of experiences. And you know with our record, we all we all have a lot of room to grow.

So he's a questioned.

About the center mentioned Let's see this in holes at a situation where they sort of competing to step in there or is.

There sort of a clear afen's not there.

We know it's gonna be plunder the other. Yeah, we'll see how it goes today. Yeah, we'll see how it goes today.

You know, I know you talked about the defensive talent Dermot, Bosa, Kleil Mack the other day. But from a coaching standpoint, coach Minter his staff, what do you admire about how they played defense?

Yeah?

For me, it's it's the versatility. And you know, you know, I grew up in a versatile defense. We coach versatile guys, and I would say, you look at their guys, you know, defensively, they're all versatile players. I know you always thought, you know, we talk about Bosa and mac rushing, but those guys can also drop. You talk about uh, Derwyn James like he can play one snap he could be in the middle of the field. The next snap he could be blitzing off the edge. And so I think he does a good job just putting those guys in positions to go out there and maximize their athletic ability.

I know you were long the last for us and you saw Hunter playing come in together for the go.

I just told when I walked out of here, I just said, yeah, you guys go in there part you know, two for one And how did that go?

I didn't watch it.

What is it about that connection that you can know this too? I've seen that I mean, not coming.

On your podium together.

Yeah, you know, I would you know, not only Hunter, I would take that entire room. You know, when you talk about consistency, and I've talked about you know, we need to be more consistent as a team, but when you look at that tight end room, that's probably our most consistent room in the building right now.

Keep being a trip for for someone that's never put on the headset.

In a head coach in the NFL's.

One thing that maybe someone that hasn't put on the headset han't done that job.

We didn't know how that you get experienced, you know.

Making all this game manager, I think the main thing is just staying ahead of the game and really it's about anticipation and you know, when it's all said and done, I have to make a decision that I think is going to put us in the best chance to win.

All right, Happy Holidays.

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But where the Patriots are concerned. Let's just get one thing done, and let's get it done right, and then we can worry about versatility. Am I lying to anybody here. Let's just get one thing done. Let's get one thing done right, and then we can move along. That's kind of my biggest thing.

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