NFL insiders raise suspicion as Patriots satisfy Rooney Rule overnight in search for Jerod Mayo's replacement

NFL insiders Josina Anderson and Albert Breer questioned the New England Patriots over a decision to interview two coaches from a specific pool on the same day. After Robert Kraft fired Jerod Mayo on Sunday after spending only one season as the team's head coach, they started searching for a new leader fast.

First, it was reported that the Pats were interviewing former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich for their head coach position. Then, reports surfaced that Pep Hamilton, a former Houston Texans OC, had also interviewed for the position.

The reports raised some eyebrows around the league, with two prominent insiders questioning if the Patriots were doing this just to comply with the Rooney Rule and nothing else.

First, Albert Breer reacted on Tuesday.

"You would hope this isn't ..." he tweeted on Tuesday.

Then, Josina Anderson chimed in on the situation.

"So, Byron Leftwich and Pep Hamilton are interviewing for the #Patriots head coach vacancy on the same* day, per @ByMikeJones and @TomPelissero........." she wrote.

The messages may have suggested that the Patriots are trying to tackle the league's attempt to provide opportunities to minorities who can be hired in head coach, general manager and executive positions.

The policy was created to make sure that "promising candidates" have the chance to prove they have the tools to become successful in the league.

Jerod Mayo took over from Bill Belichick after the legendary coach won six championships with the Patriots and posted a 4-13 record in 2023. Mayo's squad posted the same record, but it wasn't enough for Robert Kraft to run it back with the former defensive star.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft explains why he parted ways with Jerod Mayo

In the wake of this surprising decision, Robert Kraft took the blame for how things unfolded for New England under Jerod Mayo on Monday. The executive said he put Mayo in "an untenable" situation, admitting that he's trying to find a coach who can lead the team to the playoffs again.

More than that, he said he felt the team got worse from last year.

"In the important decisions in my life, I've always said I measure nine times and cut once. This was one of those situations," Kraft said. "I guess the main thing for me is I felt we regressed. The high point of everything for me was the (Week 1) Cincinnati game. In midseason, I just think we started to regress."

The Pats have been linked with another former player, Mike Vrabel, to take over from Mayo this offseason.