Jahlani Tavai's comments are another reason why the Krafts need to hit the reset button on Monday
This New England Patriots season has been a disaster on all fronts, and the team, from the head coach down to the players on the gridiron, has taken zero accountability this year. The team is limping into the final game of the season this weekend against the Buffalo Bills with an opportunity to secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
How the mighty have fallen, from celebrating Super Bowls to finishing with back-to-back seasons with a potential top-three pick, it’s been ugly in Foxboro. With the bad play on the field, and there’s been a ton of it from this Patriots team, linebacker Jahlani Tavai was pretty upset this weekend… but with you, the fan.
You’d think with his team’s piss-poor play, that would have him fired up, nope, it was you. You know the paying customer that spent hundreds of dollars to watch the San Diego, I mean, Los Angeles Chargers beat down New England.
In a blowout 40-7 loss at the hands of the Chargers, the proud Patriots crowd at Gillette Stadium chanted, “Fire Mayo!” and booed the players for getting their heads kicked in.
That apparently struck a nerve with Tavai.
While appearing on the “Greg Hill Show” on Friday morning, Tavai was bothered by the fans booing.
“I was frustrated,” Tavai said. “I definitely think I told a fan to quiet down in a non-polite way.”
Former Patriots tight end Jermaine Wiggins asked Tavai if he could see why the fans were upset booing the players; the linebacker doubled down on his statement.
“I don’t know. There’s a reason why they’re fans,” Tavai replied. “Everybody can say what they think that we should be doing. In the long end, they’re not qualified to do what (Jerod) Mayo is doing, or whatever the Pats are doing. The fans, I appreciate them at times, but sometimes they just have to know their place and just understand that it’s a work in progress.
“Rome wasn’t built in one day,” Tavai said. “The Lions, four years ago when Dan Campbell took over, what was their record (3-13-1)? Then these past 2 years, I’m not trying to compare, but that’s a goal we’re trying to develop here in this new regime. That’s the mission: to get to how the Lions are improving. That’s the type of team we see ourselves as: a playoff contender. Unfortunately, that’s not this year.”
Zero accountability from Tavai. Side note, can we stop with the Dan Campbell comps for Mayo?
Mayo said he spoke with Tavai about his comments on WEEI.
“I’ve handled that internally,” Mayo told reporters. “We had a conversation about it, so I’m going to keep that in-house. I will say this: look, for the fans—I’ve said this before. I’m a fan of different things, too. Look, no one’s happy; no one’s happy with our record; no one’s happy where we are right now. The fans, look, they pay the bills; they come in here, they demand us to go out there and perform well, and we haven’t done that this year. So, look, I understand.”
Mayo has no control over his players. This Tavai issue shows a lack of control, and it's an embarrassment to the Patriots franchise.
Tavai walked back his comments speaking to reporters from his locker on Friday afternoon.
“To anybody that was offended, that’s not who I am,” Tavai said. “What I am is a guy who’s going to defend his brothers. Anybody who is my co-worker, anybody who comes to this facility, I’m going to have their back.”
Tavai said he understands the fans sentiment as they approach a potential 14-loss season.
“It’s just frustrations,” he said. “It’s not the outcome that we wanted, and it’s not the production we want to put out there. And I’m always going to defend my guys. That’s who I am, and for however many years the man above will bless me with, I’m always going to defend my people, and that’s what it is.
“We’re all frustrated. I get it. From what I’m hearing, I understand why they can be frustrated. But that being said, there shouldn’t be anybody more frustrated than the guys who are out there busting their butt.
“I’m not here to listen to outside noise. Especially during the game. If they’re fans, be fans. Support us. They’ve supported us through our worst [times]. But don’t be a critic. I’m not going to your job and telling you how to do your job. I’m not that type of person.”
It’s not the fans fault the team has the worst record in the NFL. The team was poorly constructed by Elliot Wolf, who shouldn’t be back next season. The team is not prepared to play every Sunday by Mayo, who should be fired following the game on Sunday. Alex Van Pelt should be given a pink slip for being inept at his job and having no creativity from an offensive perspective. DeMarcus Covington’s role as a defensive coordinator has been absolutely disastrous.
Kraft picked the wrong head coach to run his franchise, plain and simple.
Tavai’s comments are tone-deaf. You don’t call out the fans who have supported this team through thick and thin. While Tavai was a twinkle in his daddy’s eye, the Patriots went through tumultuous seasons in the 90’s, and the team almost was moved to St. Louis. This fanbase endured MANY losing seasons prior to the 20-year dominance under Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
Professional players should never call out fans because of THEIR play on the gridiron. It’s a bad look, and it’s embarrassing that this once-proud franchise is unraveling each week, one player popping off in the media or posting silly Instagram stories at time.
One thing is for certain: none of the players chirping in the media and on radio stations throughout Boston this season would have ever happened under Belichick. If it did, there would have been hell to pay. Despite his issues towards the end, at least he had control over the players talking to the media.
As for the rookie head coach, everything came unraveled for Mayo the second he spilt his orange juice at the AFC Coaches breakfast before the season.
It's time for the Krafts to come down from the lighthouse tower in the end zone and clean house, or Robert will continue to tarnish his legacy post-Belichick and Brady.
It has gone completely off the rails under Mayo, he is in way over his head and he never should have been gifted the job to begin with. The comments by Tavai and others just shows that he has no control whatsoever,he has to go