Jerod Mayo facing a rumored 'mutiny' in Patriots locker room amid losing streak

The New England Patriots are only four games into the Jerod Mayo experience, and there's already trouble in paradise.

Evan Lazar, senior Patriots reporter, hosts the team's official Catch-22 podcast. During a recent episode, he made it abundantly clear that the players aren't happy with Mayo, particularly his handling of rookie quarterback Drake Maye.

"Right now, they're teetering on a mutiny in that locker room," Lazar states. Despite not wanting to blow things out of proportion, he saw it first-hand following New England's 30-13 Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Jerod Mayo facing a rumored 'mutiny' in Patriots locker room amid losing streak

After losing their third consecutive contest, frustrations are mounting in Foxborough. Most of the irritation stems from the Pats' ongoing skid, and understandably so. That said, some feel Mayo is doing the squad a disservice by continuously and blindly committing to veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett -- not Maye.

" ... with 52 other guys in that locker room ... that all know [the Patriots] drafted Drake Maye third overall," Lazar says. "At what point in time do some of these guys say to themselves, 'Why am I going out there and getting my butt kicked every single Sunday and Drake [Maye] can't?' Why am I going out there with a quarterback who can't get me the football when we have the Ferrari in the garage that can ...?"

Lazar raises valid points, and the players are entitled to and should be upset if they feel Maye is far and away the superior gunslinger. Not only was he straightforward about the matter, but doing so on the airwaves of a broadcast authorized by the Patriots speaks volumes.

However, at the same time, those on the roster presumably understand (or at least they should) that 2024 is a transition year for the Pats. Their expected win total heading into the season was 4.5, though it's since increased to 5.5. Regardless, New England is bereft of talent, and the problems go far beyond their quarterback (but that's undoubtedly an issue).

Despite Brissett struggling immensely and New England's offensive woes, Mayo has his head buried in the sand regarding which signal-caller should be under center. The Pats haven't been able to move the ball or score, ranking 31st in the NFL in points (13.0) and last in yards (238.8) per game.

It'll be fascinating to see if the internal tensions flare enough for Mayo to feel pressured into turning to Maye sooner than he'd like. Nonetheless, Brissett will get the nod in Week 5 when the Pats host the Miami Dolphins.