In a surprising turn, Jerod Mayo is out after one year as head coach of the New England Patriots, the team announced Sunday.

The Patriots finished the 2024 season with a 4-13 record. Mayo's one-year tenure matches Rod Rust, who went 1-15 in 1990, for the shortest in franchise history.

"For me, personally, this was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made," owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. "I have known Jerod for 17 years. He earned my respect and admiration as a rookie in 2008 and throughout his career for his play on the field, his leadership in the locker room and the way he conducted himself in our community. When he joined our coaching staff, his leadership was even more evident, as I saw how the players responded to him. When other teams started requesting to interview him, I feared I would lose him and committed to making him our next head coach. Winning our season-opener on the road at Cincinnati only strengthened my convictions. Unfortunately, the trajectory of our team's performances throughout the season did not ascend as I had hoped."

"Since buying the team, I have always considered myself and my family as custodians of a public asset. We have tremendous fans who expect and deserve a better product than we have delivered in recent years. I apologize for that. I have given much thought and consideration as to what actions I can take to expedite our return to championship contention and determined this move was the best option at this time."