Stardom and greatness has been predicted for Jerod Mayo dating back to his college days, when he was a star linebacker at the University of Tennessee.
He became part of history last Friday as the New England Patriots named him their 15th head coach. His tenure with the team dates back to 2008, when the Patriots drafted him 10th overall.
Mayo spent his entire NFL career with New England. He was Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2008, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, and in 2010 a first team All-Pro choice. He was also on the 2014 Super Bowl winning team.
Mayo was a defensive captain for much of his career, and identified by many, including longtime head coach Bill Belichick whom he replaced, as a coach on the field.
Mayo had been inside linebackers coach since 2019. It’s a sign of how highly regarded Mayo was by Patriots owner Robert Kraft that a succession clause had been written into his contract.
This allowed the team to immediately promote Mayo without having to go through the usual round of candidate interviews.
No one has to tell Mayo he’s following a legend. Many consider Belichick the greatest coach in NFL history. He’s only 15 wins away from breaking Don Shula’s record of most wins, and he departed the Patriots with a sterling record of 333-178 and six Super Bowl titles.
Soon to be 72, few people expect Belichick to retire. But Mayo’s appointment still will be closely watched. He’s the first Black head coach in Patriots history, and lots of attention will be paid over the next few weeks and months to everything he does, from draft picks to staffing.
It’s always been clear Jerod Mayo was going to enjoy a great career. Now he tackles a new obstacle, returning the Patriots to their past glory.
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