Former NFL MVP Cam Newton makes feelings clear on Jerod Mayo, calls for Patriots to be held accountable

The New England Patriots didn't wait until Black Monday to make a decision that seemed more and more likely over the final few weeks of the season. On Sunday evening, the franchise announced the dismissal of rookie head coach Jerod Mayo, a man Robert Kraft reportedly tapped up to be Bill Belichick's successor five years ago.

Mayo went 4-13 in his sole season in charge as the Patriots failed to put a decent product on the field. The only silver lining on the season was Drake Maye's emergence as the franchise's cornerstone of the future. In any case, the Patriots are now one of six teams on the lookout for a new head coach alongside the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars and Las Vegas Raiders.

Mayo's firing split opinion in the NFL world and former league MVP Cam Newton is the latest to question why the franchise didn't afford their rookie head coach more time to right the wrongs of a season that ultimately went nowhere. On his "4th & 1 Show" on Thursday, Newton said:

“He’s not a bad coach. Sometimes you have to ask yourself this: can you really get a true synopsis of a coach after one year? And what are you going to do different? And if you’re going to do something different, why not give Jerod Mayo the opportunity to fix it?

“We have to start holding these organizations accountable to the misfortune that’s already set. It’s the writing on the wall. And we have to also be patient, not just about players but also coaches. We need more minority coaches. Or we need coaches who’ve actually played the game.”

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What are the Patriots' options to replace Jerod Mayo?

As things stand, two names appear to be the most likely options to take charge in New England - Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.

Vrabel was strongly linked with taking over from Belichick this time last year before Robert Kraft decided to put Mayo in charge. Johnson, meanwhile, is the most sought-after name in this coaching cycle.

The Patriots have already lined up an interview with Johnson but failed to get his colleague Aaron Glenn to interview with the team, raising speculation among fans that the organization had already settled on one of Vrabel or Johnson to take over.