Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images Mayo was reportedly hired as the Patriots’ next head coach on Friday. When asked on Thursday what he was looking for in the New England Patriots’ next head coach, owner Robert Kraft had one thought in mind. “We’re looking for someone who can help us get back to the playoffs and win,” he said. “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.” That someone is apparently Jerod Mayo, as New England anointed the current assistant as the team's next head coach just one day after mutually parting ways with head coach Bill Belichick. It’s a move that might not move the needle for most. Despite needing a cure for their offensive deficiencies, Mayo falls in the bucket of another Belichick defensive disciple. But, it's a move the Kraft’s certainly feel confident in as they did not even entertain another candidate. Here could be the reasons why. Collaborative Approach For the last 20 years, all things football related have gone through Bill Belichick. As Robert Kraft explained Thursday, Belichick had final say on things such coaching hires, the draft, and how much money was spent. With Mayo now taking over, the belief around the building is a more collaborative approach will be put into place — something Kraft alluded too. “All of us need checks and balances in our life,” he explained. “We need what I call it. We need Dr. No’s around us, people to protect us from ourselves. You know, as things evolved and you get more power, sometimes people are afraid to speak up. And I’m speaking about all companies. I think it’s good to have checks and balances. And but once you have it, it’s kind of hard to pull it away and expect to have the accountability you want.” As for Mayo, Dr. No’s is exactly the type of people he wants to be surrounded with. “From a coaching perspective, I only want people around me that are going to tell me the truth,” Mayo said earlier this month. “I don’t want to be trapped in an echo chamber or things like that, because we all have blind spots... But you would hope that through building relationships, that people were very open about it, having those one-on-one conversations.” Player’s Coach The connection between Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo is easy. The former linebacker spent his entire eight-year career playing under Belichick before joining his coaching staff in 2019. As a player, Mayo was even referred to as Bill Jr. based off the amount of time he spent in the facility. But Mayo has one thing on his resume that Belichick will never: NFL experience. Around the building, Mayo is often described as a player’s coach who is extremely popular with his players (just take one look at the social media support the new head coach has received since the announcement). Compared to his old boss, Mayo’s personality and coaching style are opposite. “I coach out of love. Once you build that relationship with a guy, you can be tough on the players,” Mayo recently said. “But if you don’t have that warmth before confidence; it was a little different when I played. Whatever the coach told you to do, you just go out and do it. But this generation is a little bit different. They want to understand the ‘why.’” Throughout his tenure on the coaching staff, Mayo has easily been able to connect with and understand players in today’s game. The 37-year old — who is now the youngest coach in the NFL — brings a new perspective and energetic tone into defensive meetings, which he has run in recent years. Defensive Continuity It was evident throughout the season that Belichick still had his fastball on defense — one of the biggest reasons it was hard to move on from the future Hall of Famer. But, Mayo has played a key part in the defense since joining the staff. Beyond running meetings, the coach has a key role in game planning for the opposition “It’s a big testament to Mayo. He gets us ready every day,” captain Deatrich Wise said after New England’s defense slowed Josh Allen down in Week 17. “We knew what he was going to do. We knew the formations they were going to run during the game.” Beyond the scheme expected to largely remain the same, Mayo’s elevation will surely be a draw to some of New England’s players headed towards free agency. Unrestricted free agent Mack Wilson — who has been one of Mayo’s biggest advocates in his two years in New England — has already shown interest on social media in returning. Fellow free agent Josh Uche is also a large supporter in Mayo. The start of a New Era that I'd love to be apart of. So happy for this dude.. Well deserved BIG COACH! 
pic.twitter.com/VDwd2HJ5Mm— MWS (@MackWilSr) January 12, 2024 In addition to the play style and personnel, Mayo’s return could also help keep continuity on the defensive coaching staff. While some coaches will surely follow Belichick to his next destination, Mayo should be able to keep his share of the unit. That could include promoting DeMarcus Covington to defensive coordinator, or perhaps even convincing Steve Belichick — who has a strong relationship with Mayo — to stay in Foxboro and continue calling plays. It also wouldn’t be a surprise to see some former Patriot players join the coaching staff, as Mayo seemingly started his recruiting pitch for Dont’a Hightower earlier this season. Modernizing the Offense One of the biggest (and fairest) questions about Mayo becoming the team’s next head coach is what happens to the offense? In order to get back to their winning ways, New England must rebuild the offensive side of the football. So, what happens with a first-time head coach with a defensive background is anyone’s guess. But, beyond the more collaborative effort as a whole, the belief is the 37-year-old Mayo will bring a new approach of modern football to the building. For what that might mean on the offensive side of the ball, Mayo alluded to earlier this season that nothing else matters unless you can score points when discussing the challenges New England’s defense has faced this past season. Mayo’s first two orders of business will now be playing a role in deciding the team’s general manager and picking his offensive coordinator (keeping Bill O’Brien or looking elsewhere) — two huge moves that could foreshadow his offensive approach. Source: https://www.patspulpit.com/2024/1/12/24 ... -successor
