Bill Belichick has not even been out of his Gillette Stadium office for a full 24 hours. Yet the Patriots have already found the successor for the greatest coach in the history of the NFL.
New England will reportedly promote linebackers coach Jerod Mayo to head coach, following up on what has been a long-time succession plan built by the Patriots.
Mayo has spent his entire career with the Patriots. A linebacker from Tennessee, Mayo was drafted by New England 10th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2008, was a two-time Pro Bowler and won a pair of rings with the Patriots during his eight-year NFL playing career.
Four years after retiring following the 2015 season, Mayo was hired by the Patriots to be the team's linebackers coach. He quickly established himself as one of the top up-and-comers in coaching circles, and was viewed as essential to be locked in long-term for the Patriots.
Now, four years after he joined the coaching staff, Mayo will be the one leading the staff.
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Why did the Patriots hire Jerod Mayo?
Mayo is essentially the hand-picked successor for Belichick. He has been seen as a rising star among coaches to the point that in March 2023, Patriots owner Robert Kraft described him as a "strong candidate to be the heir apparent."
The high praise came not long after New England publicly announced it was working on a contract extension for Mayo to keep him into the linebackers coach position. He had received a request to interview for the Panthers' head coaching job, but wound up staying in New England.
In making Mayo the head coach, the Patriots are bringing in a young, new face to run the organization, but also one who has learned under Belichick as both a player and coach that will be capable of keeping the "Patriot Way" in New England.
According to ESPN, the support was not just among ownership and coaches. Players have had overwhelming support for Mayo, with ESPN reporting one defensive player said that he "hope they give [the head coach position] to Mayo. He deserves it" in a text.
During his playing days, he even earned the nicknamed "Bill Jr." because many on the team viewed Mayo as a future coach.
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Jerod Mayo contract
The Patriots had so much confidence in Mayo that this succession plan wasn't just one assumed. It was built into his contract.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapaport, Mayo's contract stated that he would be the successor for Belichick, and that because it was contractually stated and communicated to the league office, there was no need for the Patriots to conduct a mandatory outside search as is protocol as part of the Rooney Rule.
Rapaport noted it has happened before, with Jim Mora named the successor for Mike Holmgren as the Seahawks head coach in 2009, Jim Caldwell following Tony Dungy as Colts head coach in 2009 and Eric DeCosta taking over as Ravens general manager for Ozzie Newsome in 2019. Todd Bowles was also hired as the Buccaneers' replacement for Bruce Arians in 2022.
MORE: Looking back at Patriots head coaches before Belichick
Youngest coaches in the NFL
For the first time since he was hired, Sean McVay is no longer the youngest head coach in the NFL. That title now belongs to Mayo.
Mayo, born on Feb. 23, 1986, is nearly exactly a full month younger than McVay, who celebrates his birthday on Jan. 24, 1986.
| Coach | Team | Birthday | Age | Experience |
| Jerod Mayo | Patriots | Feb. 23, 1986 | 37 | Hired |
| Sean McVay | Rams | Jan. 24, 1986 | 37 | 7 years |
| Kevin O'Connell | Vikings | May 25, 1985 | 38 | 2 years |
| Shane Steichen | Colts | May 11, 1985 | 38 | 1 year |
| DeMeco Ryans | Texans | July 28, 1984 | 39 | 1 year |
