Just 12 short months ago, a new era dawned in New England.

You might remember the Patriots installed a new head coach, then offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator and front-office leader. They drafted a new quarterback. They tweaked their play style, practice schedule and changed the slogans inside the building. They revamped the whole program, from the top down.

But in case you missed all that, the Patriots served up regular reminders during the season of how much life has changed in Foxboro.

The typically tight-lipped Pats often found themselves in a puddle of word vomit, starting with Jerod Mayo cleaning up his first media mess last January. Lately, Mayo has committed to a store-brand Bill Belichick impression during his press conferences, while still maintaining a more personal touch. Smart move.

His players, though, have trended in the opposite direction.

This was veteran linebacker Jahlani Tavai speaking Friday morning to WEEI about whether he could see why fans felt compelled to boo during a 40-7 loss to the Chargers: “I don’t know. There’s a reason why they’re fans. Everybody can say what they think that we should be doing. In the long end, they’re not qualified to do what 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.”

Yikes.

Offered a chance to follow up Friday afternoon, Tavai apologized to any fans he may have offended, but otherwise stood by his remarks, which may have been the most cringeworthy of the season; a year defined as much by the Patriots’ poor play as their media missteps.

Here were the 13 other comments that defined a tough 2024 campaign:

Jan. 22: Mayo ‘burns some cash’

New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo listens to a reporter’s question during a news conference following an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

A throwaway that went down as an interception, Mayo said while walking away from a radio interview on WEEI that the Patriots’ planned to “burn some cash” in free agency.

“We’re bringing in talent, 1,000 percent,” Mayo said. “Have a lot of cap space and cash. Ready to burn some cash.”

This was the first of several comments Mayo later walked back with the media.

“That was a rookie mistake. That was a rookie mistake by me,” Mayo admitted in April. “As soon as I got downstairs, (Patriots vice president of communications Stacey James) slapped me in the head, like, ‘What are you doing?’

“You understand what I meant, though. What I really meant, though, is we’re going to be, obviously, smart with cash and smart with acquisitions. I was just very excited.”

April 27: Standing up out of wheelchairs

Shortly after he was drafted in the fourth round last April, Javon Baker first introduced himself to New England over a vulgar Instagram Live broadcast, then somehow topped that during a video conference with reporters following the livestream.

During that video call, Baker said of his game: “Just come to the home stadium and bring y’all popcorn. That’s all I can tell y’all. Bring your popcorn. I make people in wheelchairs stand up.”

In 10 games this season, Baker has seen three targets and made zero catches.

Aug. 18: Wolf likes the O-line

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) stands on the sideline next to Eliot Wolf, the team’s executive vice president of player personnel, during the first half of a NFL preseason game against the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 8 in Foxboro. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

In a rare media appearance this summer, Patriots vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf told reporters he felt “pretty comfortable” with the team’s offensive line.

Challenged about the team’s execution of its state plan at offensive tackle, where Mike Onwenu didn’t play for the first three weeks of training camp and projected starting left tackle Chukwuma Okorafor had moved to the right side, Wolf stood his ground.

“So, yeah, Okorafor has taken reps on both sides. Onwenu took some reps at right tackle yesterday. I think we’re just trying to find the right combination,” Wolf said. “We feel confident in all of these players, and we’re just working to find the best group, rather than the best five individuals.”

Less than a month later, Okorafor, a career right tackle, got benched in the opener while playing left tackle and literally left the team. Onwenu has played right guard most of the season, and the Patriots have shuffled personnel at all three of the other positions.

Sept. 9: A forever run defense

New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo watches his team warm up prior to an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, in Foxborough,Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

The morning after his first win as a head coach, a 19-10 upset at Cincinnati, Mayo took a long victory lap with the media. During a 24-minute interview on WEEI, he guaranteed the Patriots would always field a strong run defense.

“We’ll always have a good run defense. I truly believe that,” Mayo said. “And when I talk to (the media), I’m talking to the players. They listen to this stuff. Like earlier what I said was, on Instagram or whatever it is — they listen to it. So here you go, (players): we’ll always be a good run defense. No matter what.”

With one game left, the Patriots’ run defense ranks 25th in yards allowed per game, 28th by DVOA and 30th by EPA per play.

Sept. 9: A forever run game

In the same WEEI interview, Mayo also declared the Patriots would run the ball “all year.”

“We will always, always, offensively be a run-first team. And you’ve gotta stop it,” he said. “And if you do,  then we have other answers after that. It’s not a secret.”

With one game left, the Patriots’ run game ranks 13th in yards per game, 32nd by DVOA and 30th by EPA.

Sept. 9: O-line concerns ‘overblown’

Foxboro, MA – New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye gets off a pass before getting sacked during the 2nd quarter of the game at Gillette Stadium. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)

For a hat trick, Mayo told reporters that same morning in a video conference that public concerns about the Patriots’ offensive line were unwarranted. Against the Bengals, the Pats rushed for 170 yards, but also allowed a 43% pressure rate.

“I’ve been saying it for a long time,” Mayo began, “I think the whole offensive line conversation has been overblown. Every game, every preseason game, those guys have done a good job moving bodies and establishing toughness on the line of scrimmage. They did that yesterday. I’m not really too concerned with the offensive line. Those guys are going to get better every week.”

With one game left, the Patriots’ offensive line ranks dead last by Pro Football Focus’ run-blocking grades, and second-worst at pass-blocking.

Kyed: Even when Jerod Mayo is on point, message isn’t getting through to Patriots about fans

Oct. 15: Kraft spills the beans

Nine months after announcing the Patriots and Bill Belichick had mutually agreed to part ways, owner Robert Kraft volunteered on a podcast he actually fired Belichick at the end of the 2023 season.

“I kept him for 24 years,” Kraft said on The Breakfast Club. “I didn’t enjoy having to fire him, but I tried to do it – if you look at the press conference and how it happened, (I) tried to do it in a classy way.”

“What (Belichick) did for us was great. People need to adapt,” he added. “People need to adapt and if they don’t, things can change. In life, it’s about getting good chemistry and trust, and I feel that our record the last three or four years wasn’t what I wanted.”

Kraft’s comments shattered the facade he and Belichick had built over a half-hour press conference last January, insisting they had done right by each other and were happy to part ways. Belichick, 72, then failed to land the Falcons’ head-coaching job and was recently hired to coach at the University of North Carolina.

Oct. 16: Ja’Lynn Polk’s boast

New England Patriots wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk (1) reacts with wide receiver Kendrick Bourne during the second half of an NFL game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024 in Foxboro. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)

Mired in an early-season slump, Ja’Lynn Polk heard his head coach describe his struggles as being a “mental hump.”

Not only did Polk dismiss that notion in an October interview with MassLive, the second-round rookie claimed he belonged with the best receivers in the league.

“I believe I have the best hands in the league,” he said. “So, I feel like my drops, that’s not an issue at all.”

At the time, Polk had two drops on 23 targets. Since those comments, Polk hasn’t dropped another while catching two passes on nine more targets.

Oct. 20: A soft football team

Angry after another bad loss, this time a 32-16 stinker in London against the Jaguars, Mayo made waves nationally by calling the Patriots soft.

“Look, what I’d say is we’re a soft football team across the board,” he declared in his opening statement.

Mayo then detailed why, saying the Patriots weren’t running the ball, stopping the run or covering kicks. A day later, he issued a clarification about what he really meant.

“I felt like we just went out there and played soft. We’re playing soft at the moment,” Mayo said. “Now in saying that, do I think we have the guys in there that can turn this ship around? One hundred percent. But that comes through hard work and getting better each and every day.”

To their credit, the Patriots bounced back with a tough 25-22 upset of the Jets the following week.

Oct 24: Boutte doesn’t want to ask

New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (9) reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. The New England Patriots defeated the New York Jets 25-22. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)

Emboldened by his three-catch performance against the Texans on Oct. 13, and disappointed by his two targets the following week, second-year receiver Kayshon Boutte told reporters he shouldn’t have to ask for the ball.

“For me personally, in the game, I get frustrated when I’m not getting thrown the ball knowing that I’ve caught every ball that’s thrown to me this season,” Boutte said. “So, I just feel like I would always go to the sideline and demand the ball. So, whether it was that deep ball – I asked for that. The Texans game, I asked for that. So, I feel like I shouldn’t have to really ask.”

Boutte is currently the Patriots’ third-leaving receiver with 36 receptions for 472 yards and two touchdowns.

Dec. 1: ‘I should not have said that’

The clock wound late in the Patriots’ last game before their bye week. Indianapolis marched the length of the field, draining clock and threatening to take the lead with less than a minute left. Mayo used just one of his three timeouts, and the Colts eventually scored a touchdown and two-point conversion with 12 seconds left.

Asked about his clock management post-game, a defensive Mayo referenced Belichick’s decision to keep his timeouts late during the legendary finish to Super Bowl XLIX against the Seahawks.

“Absolutely, there was a thought. We have also won a Super Bowl here doing it the other way,” Mayo said during his post=game press conference. “Keeping our timeouts is what I thought was best for the team.”

A day later, Mayo had his regrets.

“I should not have said that. I should not have said it,” he told WEEI.

Dec. 15: ‘You said it. I didn’t.’

New England Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, right, stands with head coach Jerod Mayo during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Alex Van Pelt, meet the bottom of the bus.

Mayo tossed his offensive coordinator under all four tires with five words after the Patriots’ embarrassing 30-17 loss at Arizona that followed their bye week. Asked if the team had considered running Drake Maye in a short-yardage situation before getting stuffed twice at the goal line in that loss, Mayo replied: “You said it. I didn’t.”

Naturally, he walked his comment back the following morning.

“I know there’s a lot of chatter about the question last night, you know, ‘you said that.’ I didn’t mean anything by that,” Mayo said . “It was more of a defensive response, and ultimately, and I tried to clarify that with the follow-up question, because ultimately, all of those decisions are mine. So just wanted to get that out there.”

As reported by the Herald’s Doug Kyed, members of the organization interpreted Mayo’s comments as a shot at Van Pelt.

Dec. 28: Stevenson will sit … but doesn’t

In the 48 hours before the Patriots lost to the Chargers last weekend, Mayo told two broadcast teams he intended to sit running back Rhamondre Stevenson over his fumbling issues.

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“Gibby is going to start for us today,” Mayo said on 98.5 The Sports Hub.

“They’re going to do it at least at the start of the game with a different running back. Antonio Gibson will get the start for the Patriots today in place of Rhamondre Stevenson,” NFL Network analyst Ross Tucker said last weekend, following a meeting with Mayo.

Then, Stevenson started against LA. Mayo declined twice to explain why, even when asked if it had been a simple miscommunication.

“That was just a coach’s decision,” he said. “Coach’s decision.”

Quote of the Week

“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.” — linebacker Jahlani Tavai