Jerod Mayo explains Patriots trying record-breaking field goal in loss

The Indianapolis Colts successfully converted a two-point attempt with 12 seconds left in their Week 13 game against the New England Patriots to take a 25-24 lead.

The Patriots were able to mount an impressive drive in those 12 seconds to set themselves up for a potential game-winning score. Quarterback Drake Maye completed two passes for 20 yards to get the team to midfield with one second left.

At that point, most assumed the Patriots would allow Maye to attempt a Hail Mary to end regulation.

Instead, Patriots coach Jerod Mayo sent his kicker, Joey Slye, out to attempt a 68-yarder, a kick two yards longer than Justin Tucker’s 66-yard NFL record.

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Slye’s kick was a strong and on-line, but it fell just short of the goalposts, sealing a 25-24 win for the Colts.

What went into Mayo’s decision to kick at the end of regulation? The first-year coach said the call ‘was 100% me’ after the game and explained why he was comfortable trusting Slye with the record-breaking kick.

‘Look, Slye was hitting it well in pregame, and I felt that was the best thing to do to help our team win the football game,’ Mayo said during his postgame news conference. ‘Not sure what the numbers are on Hail Marys versus the field goal there, but that’s what I thought was right.’

For those wondering, about 1 of every 12 Hail Mary passes has been successful since 2009, according to an ESPN story from October. That would have given Maye and the offense a roughly 8.3% chance to score a touchdown on an end-zone heave.

Comparatively, no NFL kicker has ever made an attempt from beyond 66 yards. That said, NFL kickers entered Week 13 having made 4-of-10 attempts from 60-plus yards during the 2024 NFL season. That included a 63-yard make by Slye in Week 4 against the San Francisco 49ers.

Slye did have a sharp pregame workout, as he made a 62-yard kick, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss. So it’s understandable that the Patriots were willing to give him a shot at the end of regulation.

But given the kick’s historic nature, the mid-30-degree temperatures at the game and Slye’s 25-yard miss at the end of the first half, it’s also easy to understand why many would question the wisdom of the first-year head coach.

Longest field goals in NFL history

Below is a full list of the 10 longest field goals in NFL history, a list that includes Slye:

66 yards — Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens (2021)
65 yards — Brandon Aubrey, Dallas Cowboys (2024)
64 yards — Matt Prater, Denver Broncos (2013)
63 yards – Joey Slye, Patriots (2024)
63 yards – Brett Maher, Cowboys (2019)
63 yards – Graham Gano, Carolina Panthers (2018)
63 yards – David Akers, San Francisco 49ers (2012)
63 yards – Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland Raiders (2011)
63 yards – Jason Elam, Broncos (1998)
63 yards – Tom Dempsey, New Orleans Saints (1970)