New England Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft said Thursday throughout Bill Belichick‘s exit information convention that the staff would “attempt to transfer in a short time” within the subsequent steps to rent a brand new head coach.
Lower than 24 hours later, it was reported that the Patriots had discovered their man.
Although Jerod Mayo will develop into the youngest head coach within the NFL (37 years previous) when the transfer turns into official, he does not lack expertise.
Following an eight-year taking part in profession from 2008-15 that included an AP Defensive Rookie of the 12 months award, one First Crew All-Professional nod and two Professional Bowl honors, he was employed as New England’s inside linebackers coach in March 2019. Mayo’s lengthy been anticipated to be certainly one of, if not the only real frontrunner to take over after Belichick left.
Over his 103 profession video games (plus
eight extra playoff contests), the Tennessee product was one of many leaders each
on the sphere and within the locker room. Mayo helped lead a Patriots protection that
completed within the prime 10 in factors per recreation allowed in seven of his eight
seasons, main the league in tackles throughout his 2010 All-Professional marketing campaign.
New England appeared in two
Tremendous Bowls throughout Mayo’s taking part in days and earned the title in Tremendous Bowl XLIX
over the Seattle Seahawks.
Whereas the Patriots have solely been within the playoffs for 2 of the final 5 years since Mayo joined the employees and missed the lower every of the final two seasons, the staff’s protection has largely achieved its job.
New England’s protection was first in factors in opposition to (14.1 factors per recreation) throughout Mayo’s first season on the sidelines, seventh in 2020 (22.1) and second in 2021 (17.8). Regardless of mass accidents and a company that appeared to know Belichick’s days have been numbered for the final two years, the protection nonetheless completed a decent eleventh and fifteenth within the league in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
Mayo’s had an opportunity to work with and develop the most effective linebackers within the recreation during the last three years in four-time Professional Bowler Matt Judon, and after being restricted to 4 video games in 2023, he needs to be again prepared to steer the Patriots protection in 2024.
Typically the apparent, anticipated selection in a head-coaching search is the perfect one, and that seems to be the case with the hiring of Mayo.
