AFC Notes: Bills, Jets, Patriots, Jerod Mayo

Bills

• Bills LB Von Miller on whether QB Josh Allen should win the MVP award: “I played with Peyton Manning and Matthew Stafford and those guys are special in their own right. But this year, Josh is just doing something totally different. It’s amazing to witness it.” (Ryan O’Halloran)

Jets

“I definitely want to go into free agency, and it’s not because I don’t want to be a New York Jet,” Reed told ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “I definitely want to be a New York Jet, but I feel like they had the whole offseason, and even throughout the season, to extend it, and they didn’t. I feel like for me, personally, it would be best to go into free agency and see what’s out there.”

• Jets QB Aaron Rodgers became the most sacked quarterback in NFL history on Sunday, being sacked 566 times throughout his career. (Rich Cimini)

Patriots

Patriots HC Jerod Mayo acknowledged that fans were chanting for him to be fired after the team’s blowout loss to the Chargers on Saturday.

“You hear those things. But at the same time, they paid to sit in the seats, and we’ve got to play better,” Mayo said of the chants, via Mike Reiss of ESPN. “If we play better, we don’t have to hear that stuff.”

Veteran defensive linemen Deatrich Wise Jr. and Davon Godchaux were quick to jump to Mayo’s defense when interviewed about the chants.

“I think he’s doing a great job, keeping us motivated and prepared and locked in on our goals every week,” Wise Jr. said. “It’s up to the players. Coaches coach, players play. I only speak about myself, and I felt like there were a lot of games I could have played better to help the team win. I feel like Mayo is putting people in the right positions, he’s very positive but also criticizes people in a motivating way. I don’t think we should write him off right now. A lot of coaches start off tough, but there are multiple coaches who are OK now and in the playoffs. I feel like we need to continue to believe in Coach and he’ll find a way to make everything right next year.”

“The guy’s in his first season. It’s not going to be golden. We didn’t expect to win a Super Bowl this year. I get it, nobody wants to get beaten 40-7, but the chant is ridiculous,” Godchaux added. “Everybody plays a part in this. It isn’t just Jerod Mayo. Players. Coaches. Front office. We just have to get better as a whole organization. I believe in this organization. We just had probably the best team in the NFL right now on the ropes last week [in Buffalo]. I don’t believe in all that other ridiculous stuff. The guy is in his first year. It’s just ridiculous.”

• Mayo on potentially coaching for his job: “I’m always under pressure and it’s been that way for a very long time.” (Chad Graff)
• Mayo says it was a coach’s decision to start Rhamondre Stevenson at running back after saying pregame that Antonio Gibson would be the starter. (Doug Kyed)
• Patriots QB Drake Maye on taking a shot to the head on Saturday: “I feel good — I still feel good — and then I was good to go…Those guys up front are battling their butts off, so I’m not going to go to the coach and say, ‘Hey, take me out.’ That’s not me.” (Mike Reiss)
• Patriots C Cole Strange on making his debut at the center position: “I don’t think I had any bad snaps. I had one early in the third quarter, but that’s a timing thing, and I’ll fix that. I believe that most of my mistakes were more mental than technical, so I consider those easy fixes. I’m extremely confident I’m moving in the right direction.” (Reiss)
• Per Adam Schefter, the Patriots would clinch the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft with a loss next week against the Bills.