Back when Tom Brady left the New England Patriots for Tampa Bay, few expected to see the Robert Kraft-owned team completely lose their winning ways. The situation, however, has only worsened for the Patriots. They are even struggling to maintain a winning record nowadays. And, after four failed seasons, Kevin Wildes argues that the team is only trying to recreate their past success rather than starting a new project and philosophy.
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According to the analyst at First Things First, the Patriots have sacrificed “continuity” — a key element of the Belichick-Brady dynasty and something that made them successful. Wildes urged the team to accept the fact that glory days cannot be achieved by simply hiring former players as coaches.
Wildes labeled it a “nostalgia drug” that the Patriots have been using to conduct interviews. He strongly believes they shouldn’t. Jerod Mayo, in the analyst’s eyes, was a baffling hire in this regard, as his only qualification was winning a Super Bowl with the Patriots.
This hiring, along with the recent Mike Vrabel announcement, are examples that led Wildes to believe the Patriots have become so obsessed with recreating their past that they are unable to consider hiring a candidate based on merit rather than the Patriots DNA.
“Nostalgia is a hell of a drug. This constant need to go back to the Glory Days of the Patriots, which I am very guilty of… but it’s like, we got to get Vrabel, he knows the Patriots way. Jared Mayo also played defense on the Patriots and won a Super Bowl [but] he didn’t have the experience. It’s the Nostalgia drug that is making the decisions here. We’re not even doing real interviews anymore.”
Amid the latest confirmation by the Patriots that they have interviewed former player Mike Vrabel for the HC position, Wildes’ analysis rings even truer. They say people stuck in the past are dead. And honestly, this adage perfectly describes the current situation in Foxborough.
We have completed an interview with Mike Vrabel today in Boston for our head coach position. pic.twitter.com/vooGcXIQNX
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 9, 2025
Wildes also argued that firing Mayo was too hasty. There’s no doubt that Mayo made some questionable decisions this season, but he also didn’t have a roster capable of competing. Whether it was the inexperienced offensive cohort or the squad missing a left tackle for the majority of the season, it felt like Mayo was ill-equipped to take over from the storied legacy of Bill Belichick. Then again, he could have had a second chance to try again, but Mayo was fired just hours after his final regular-season matchup.
Wildes strongly believes that Robert Kraft & Co. first need to build a project and ensure they back it up with time and resources. Consistency is key. For without it, HCs and projects will falter easily, especially if they fail in their first season, as Mayo’s did.
