The New England Patriots are set to appoint Jerod Mayo as their new head coach, making him the first Black head coach in the team’s history, as confirmed by a source familiar with the situation. While details of the agreement were still being finalized as of Friday, the source shared this information on the condition of anonymity, as the team has not officially announced the decision. Mayo, who had an eight-season NFL career and earned a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots in 2014, will succeed Bill Belichick.
This hiring comes on the heels of Bill Belichick’s departure from the Patriots after a remarkable 24-year tenure that included six Super Bowl victories.
Jerod Mayo quickly emerged as a prominent candidate to succeed Belichick after the Patriots took the unprecedented step of extending his assistant coaching contract for the long term last offseason. Mayo, in conjunction with Steve Belichick, Bill Belichick’s son and fellow linebackers coach, took on the responsibilities of play-calling for the Patriots’ defense over the past two seasons.
Despite New England’s challenging season with a 4-13 record, the team’s defense maintained high rankings in various statistical categories, even in the face of significant injuries, such as those to star linebacker Matt Judon and rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
While the exact terms of Mayo’s contract from the previous season remain undisclosed, his extension followed a period in which the 37-year-old had interviewed for multiple head coaching positions in Philadelphia and Carolina over the past two years.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who announced Belichick’s departure on Thursday, emphasized the urgency to fill the vacant head coaching position and stressed the importance of returning to the playoffs. The Patriots have missed the playoffs in three of the last four seasons and have not won a playoff game since the 2018 season.
Kraft stated, “We’re looking for someone who can help us get back to the playoffs and win. Believe me, after my family, this is really one of the two most important assets in my life. I am very upset when we don’t win games. It carries the whole week. So, I promise you I’ll be focused to do the best I can do to make sure we’re putting ourselves in the best long-term position to win for many years.”
While Jerod Mayo may not have the same level of authority over personnel decisions as Belichick did during most of his tenure, Kraft highlighted that Belichick earned that power after winning his third Super Bowl with the team in 2004. Consequently, it is likely that the Patriots will pursue a new general manager hire or implement other front-office restructuring in the near future.
Kraft commented, “I think it’s good to have checks and balances.”
