Patriots owner Robert Kraft introduced Jerod Mayo as the franchise's new coach this afternoon, and the NFL world reacted to the press conference on social media:
- NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero: “Patriots owner Robert Kraft says he has same conviction hiring Jerod Mayo as he did Bill Belichick. ‘I've learned to trust my instincts throughout my career, and I trust Jerod is the right person to lead the Patriots back to championship-level contention and long-term success.’”
- SI's Albert Breer: “Patriots owner Robert Kraft on hiring the franchise’s first black HC: ‘I chose the best head coach for this organization. He happens to be a man of color.’”
- NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport: “Patriots coach Jerod Mayo, on being New England's first black head coach and the significance: ‘I do see color. If you don't see color, you can't see racism.’”
- ESPN’s Robert Griffin III: “Jerod Mayo is the 1st Black Head Coach of the Patriots and he doesn’t shy away from it or any issues about race in our country … He isn’t scared to say it with his chest. He is STANDING ON BUSINESS.”
- USA Today’s Mike Freeman: “I don’t think people fully understand how big a deal it is for Mayo to say at HIS INTRO PRESSER.”
- Former Patriot Devin McCourty: “Some of the things we want to do in life, we have so much doubt because we don’t know where to look and see someone that looks like us.”
- WEEI-FM’s Nick Stevens: “Mayo seemed like someone who would thrive in contemporary corporate culture with a want for a collaborative environment, almost anti-Belichick-ian in that way. He spoke of tearing down silos and respecting what the individuals he’ll surround himself with will contribute.”
- WEEI-FM's Andy Gresh: "It feels like Robert Kraft and Jonathon Kraft ... are grabbing control of the organization and now have a 'I know that this guy will listen to me' mentality."
