(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The New England Patriots failed to land Brandon Aiyuk.
They were reportedly the only team that was willing to meet his steep salary demands, and they had all the assets to pull off the trade.
Nonetheless, they got the feeling that Aiyuk didn’t want to be there at all.
They tried to reach out to him and his agent, but to no avail, so they withdrew themselves from trade talks.
When asked about that, first-year head coach Jerod Mayo had a blunt answer.
He claimed that once they start winning some games, big-name players and everybody will actually want to play for them (via Alex Barth).
Jerod Mayo asked about Brandon Aiyuk and the Patriots not being a destination: “When we start to win games, guys will want to come here. When we establish the culture, the roster, guys will be excited.”
— Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) August 11, 2024
At the end of the day, it’s as simple as that.
Not so long ago, prominent players actually agreed to take pay cuts just to get an opportunity to pursue a Super Bowl ring and play for Bill Belichick and next to Tom Brady.
It feels like that was decades ago, but things can change drastically in professional sports.
Getting the Patriots back to the mountaintop definitely won’t be an easy task, especially with the talent — or lack thereof — they have at their disposal.
Even so, it made sense for them to just move on and not fixate on Aiyuk, as there was no point in giving up big bucks to try and convince a player who didn’t even want to be there to begin with.
The Patriots need to win to attract more stars, and while it won’t be easy, they have to start somewhere.
The post Jerod Mayo Responds To Brandon Aiyuk Turning Down The Patriots appeared first on The Cold Wire.