Not featuring a training search this yr, the Patriots have still not conducted a real hunt for his or her sideline leader since agreeing to send the Jets trade compensation for Bill Belichick in 2000. Their effort to succeed the all-time coaching great proved interesting despite not contributing much to PFR’s latest HC Search Tracker.
Fairly than undergo a full-scale interview process, the Patriots included language in Jerod Mayo‘s contract making him the heir apparent. Robert Kraft confirmed this has been his plan for some time. The longtime Patriots owner revealed on the Prime Video Thursday Night broadcast Mayo became his pick to succeed Belichick five years ago.
“Jerod learned quite a bit from Bill within the technical background,” Kraft said. “But they’re each special individuals. I’ve gotten to know Jerod during the last 15 years and, you understand, I picked him five years ago to be our next head coach.”
Belichick and the Patriots mutually parted ways after the 2023 season, ending his 24-year tenure because the team’s head coach and de facto general manager. While it was not known to the surface NFL world the Pats had Mayo as their open-and-shut pick, the team was the primary to call a brand new coach during this yr’s carousel.
The No. 10 overall pick in 2008, Mayo fared well under Belichick as a player and an assistant. As a starting inside linebacker, Mayo earned Defensive Rookie of the 12 months honors. Mayo spent his entire eight-year playing profession in Recent England under Belichick and retired after combating injuries in his previous few seasons, which included a victory in Super Bowl XLIX.
Belichick later hired Mayo as his inside linebackers coach in 2019, a position the latter held until he was promoted to go coach earlier this yr. Mayo quickly earned Kraft’s trust, as evident from the owner identifying him as his next leader in his first yr on staff, but in addition drew attention across the league as a possible future head coach.
After interviews with the Broncos, Eagles, and Raiders for his or her head coaching openings from 2021-22, Kraft was so apprehensive he might lose Mayo that he inserted a succession clause into his former linebacker’s contract to ensure Mayo would succeed Belichick after he left Recent England, in line with ESPN’s Mike Reiss. Mayo declined a Panthers HC interview last yr, and the Patriots released an announcement indicating he was staying. Kraft confirmed in March 2023 Mayo loomed as a possible Belichick heir apparent, and while ties to Mike Vrabel emerged late last season, it doesn’t appear the owner deviated from his long-held internal plan.
The succession clause allowed the Patriots to get across the Rooney Rule requiring NFL teams to interview not less than two external minority candidates for open HC positions. Roger Goodell (via ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss) called the succession clause “smart management” by the Patriots, who hired Mayo as their first Black head coach in franchise history on January 12.
Mayo began his head coaching profession with a surprising upset of the Bengals in Week 1 before falling to the Seahawks in extra time in Week 2. While the Patriots didn’t enter this season with much in the best way of expectations, Mayo will try to reward the owner’s faith in his first season on the helm.
