ESPN's Stephen A Smith on Patriots firing Jerod Mayo: 'They call it Black Monday for a reason'

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ESPN star Stephen A. Smith reacted to the New England Patriots’ decision to fire Jerod Mayo after only one season at the helm.

Smith lamented on "First Take" that Mayo didn’t get enough of an opportunity to develop as a head coach and lead the team. He said the availability of Mike Vrabel on the coaching market also played a factor.

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New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo during the Arizona Cardinals game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Dec. 15, 2024. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

"This is about Mike Vrabel. That's who they wanted. No question about it," Smith said. "He’s the more seasoned and experienced coach. I don't like this. They call it Black Monday for a reason. This certainly typifies it. I don't know why it's not called White Monday. Doug Pederson got fired from Jacksonville. He deserved that firing. 

"Jerod Mayo clearly was not given a lengthy enough opportunity considering what Bill Belichick left him with from a talent perspective, considering the record, considering the way the team performed."

Smith added that he believed the Patriots’ top brass "turned" on Mayo over the course of the season.

"He didn’t help himself with some of the comments he made calling the team soft… But no matter what we can point to, at the end of the day the folks in New England were turning against Jerod Mayo. We all know this," he said. 

"And I think it has something to do with the fact that Vrabel is available and that’s what’s really going on here. They don’t want to lose him to a team like the New York Jets. They want to be in the running, and they can’t do that with