Jerod Mayo employed to interchange Invoice Belichick as Patriots coach

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Shifting swiftly at some point after parting methods with legendary coach Invoice Belichick, the New England Patriots have employed Jerod Mayo as his successor and the fifteenth head coach in franchise historical past, the staff introduced Friday.

Mayo, 37, is ready to be formally launched at a information convention Wednesday. He would be the youngest coach within the NFL, taking up a title that Sean McVay held since being named Los Angeles Rams coach in 2017; Mayo is a month youthful than McVay.

A linebacker for the Patriots from 2008 to 2015 after being chosen within the first spherical of the draft out of Tennessee, Mayo joined Belichick’s teaching employees in 2019, serving as linebackers coach.

The Patriots had been in a position to forgo the usual NFL hiring course of and instantly rent Mayo as a result of they established a succession plan within the contract extension he signed final offseason, just like what the Baltimore Ravens did with their normal supervisor place when Eric DeCosta succeeded Ozzie Newsome in 2019.

Mayo turns into the primary Black head coach in Patriots historical past.

He had notable assist amongst gamers within the locker room, particularly on protection. When information of Belichick leaving broke, one defender mentioned in a textual content: “I hope they provide it to Mayo. He deserves it.”

Captain Deatrich Sensible Jr. credited Mayo as a main cause he felt the protection skilled success towards Buffalo Payments quarterback Josh Allen in a Week 17 loss.

As a participant, Mayo was named staff captain in his second season, with some gamers referring to him as Invoice Jr. as a result of they considered him as a future coach who spent numerous hours on the staff facility, like Belichick himself.

Belichick, 71, and the Patriots introduced Thursday that he would depart the staff after 24 seasons as coach that included six Tremendous Bowl titles. The choice to half methods was made after conferences between Belichick and Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft, with Belichick saying it was time to “transfer on.”

Mayo spent his whole taking part in profession in New England, showing in 103 video games and totaling 905 tackles. He led the staff in tackles every of his first 5 seasons and have become simply the second Patriots participant to win the Related Press Defensive Rookie of the 12 months Award. He was a part of one Tremendous Bowl championship staff, in 2014, though restricted to 6 video games that season due to a leg harm.

Upon his retirement after the 2015 season, Mayo labored in finance for Optum, a well being care providers supplier. He has cited how that have, coupled with working below Belichick, set him as much as at some point turn into a head coach.

“I really feel like I am ready. I really feel like I am prepared,” Mayo mentioned in early January. “I really feel like I can speak to males, girls, outdated, younger, white, Black — it does not matter. And hopefully develop these individuals into upstanding residents and assist them evolve. That is how I give it some thought. I really feel like my calling is to develop.”

Mayo lately shared that constructing relationships with gamers is a foundational a part of his teaching model.

“I coach out of affection. When you construct that relationship with a man, you might be robust on the gamers,” he mentioned. “But when you do not have that heat earlier than confidence; it was a little bit totally different once I performed. Regardless of the coach advised you to do, you simply exit and do it. However this technology is a little bit bit totally different. They need to perceive the ‘why.'”