A day after the franchise parted ways with Bill Belichick, Jerod Mayo was officially hired as the Patriots’ head coach, indicating that the former linebacker was the only candidate being considered for the position in New England.

However, that was not the case.

Robert Kraft recently spoke with Karen Guregian of MassLive about his decision to hire Mayo, who worked under Belichick for five seasons before his big promotion. Kraft followed his instincts and approached the matter with conviction when hiring the untested 38-year-old, but the Patriots owner admitted to Guregian that he “thought long and hard” about bringing in a coach “with more experience” after cutting ties with Belichick.

In the end, the man at the top of New England’s hierarchy couldn’t resist Mayo’s potential and the relationships he had already built with top executives.

“I just thought that he (Mayo), Eliot (Wolf) and Matt Groh are all pretty inexperienced right now. They’ve all been here before,” Kraft told Guregian. “But the responsibility, at least for Eliot and especially for Jerod, is huge.”

“I always think about what is right for the long term. Our businesses are private. I don’t have to send reports to Wall Street every 90 days. I do what is strategically right for the long term. And I think that’s what I did with Jerod. I’m going to do what my gut tells me and stick with it until I’m convinced it’s not right.”

Kraft’s decision to hire Mayo shouldn’t be judged solely on what happens next season. The Patriots are rebuilding and it will take time for the franchise to get back on track. Not to mention, Belichick really struggled in his first season in New England before the organization took off.

However, both Kraft and Mayo should be criticized if the 2024 season turns out to be disastrous. And looking at the Patriots’ prospects for the fall, such a season is not out of the question.