Jerod Mayo, former Tennessee standout, lands head coaching gig in NFL
Jerod Mayo has been hired as the new head coach of the New England Patriots, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Pats announced on Thursday they had mutually agreed to part ways with longtime coach Bill Belichick after 24 seasons, nine AFC championships, and six Super Bowl titles. The Patriots then moved quickly to name Mayo, a former first-round draft pick of the team in 2008, as Belichick’s replacement.
At the time of publication, New England had not formally announced the hire. A report from ESPN says he will be introduced at a news conference next week.
Mayo, 37, will become the youngest head coach in the National Football League. He’ll also become the first Black head coach in the organization’s history.
He has served as the team’s linebackers coach since 2019.
Mayo was drafted by New England with the 10th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. He would go on to spend the entirety of his career (2008-15) with the Patriots. He was the Defensive Rookie of the Year his first year, and ended his career with two Pro Bowl selections, an All-Pro selection, and a Super Bowl ring.
In 103 career games, he collected 905 tackles. He led the team in tackles in each of his first five seasons with the franchise, becoming just the second Pats player in team history to win the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award. He was part of the team that won Super Bowl XLIX during the 2014 season.
Mayo played for Tennessee from 2004-07. As a redshirt junior in 2007, he was named to the All-SEC First Team after totaling 140 tackles — the most by a Vols defender at that point since 1990.