Former NFL coach Rex Ryan disputed New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo's criticism of the Patriots as "soft."

Former NFL coach Rex Ryan criticized New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo for calling his team "soft" after a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Appearing on ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown," Ryan argued that Mayo should first address issues within himself and the locker room rather than blaming the players. Despite the criticism, Patriots players have chosen to view Mayo's remarks as motivation ahead of their upcoming game against the New York Jets.