The Tennessee linebacker will replace a legend.
Former Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo is getting a big promotion. Following the firing of legendary head coach Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots have promoted linebackers coach Jerod Mayo to the head coach position.
The report came via Adam Schefter on Friday morning.
It’s a new era in New England: the Patriots have hired Jerod Mayo as their next head coach and he will be formally introduced at a press conference next week, a source tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/SeHKoAonrP
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 12, 2024
Mayo was the tenth overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. He went on to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, playing for the team through the 2015 season. Four years later, Mayo joined the Patriots as the inside linebackers coach. He quickly earned the trust and conviction of owner Robert Kraft, who hired him as the new head coach today. This move was rumored for a couple of years.
At Tennessee, Mayo played three seasons before declaring for the NFL Draft early. He was credited with 143 total tackles during his time in Knoxville from 2005-2007. Mayo has been a longtime candidate to replace Belichick, and that came through today.
Mayo is only 37 years old.
It’s a big job for him, replacing a legend like Belichick. He was linked to the Tennessee job back in 2021, but nothing came of those rumors. Now he gets his shot in the NFL, but unfortunately for him, he’s got an entire roster to rebuild from the ground up. Mayo will quite literally be thrown into the fire in Boston — it’ll be interesting to see how he does.