New York Jets fans will have another Patriots head coach to despise
After the end of a long, long era for New York Jets fans, the New England Patriots are hoping to begin another. Only a few days after the Jets broke their 15-game losing streak to Bill Belichick and the Patriots, New England hired a new head coach that it hopes can continue tormenting New York.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, linebackers coach Jerod Mayo will be promoted to replace Belichick. Mayo has been the Patriots’ right-hand man to Belichick for several years. While he was never the defensive coordinator in name, he essentially ran the defense alongside Steve Belichick over the past few years.
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
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Mayo’s contract stated that he would be Belichick’s successor.
While so much of the focus was on Mike Vrabel, the internal focus for the #Patriots was always on Jerod Mayo. It was written into his contract that he would be the successor to Bill Belichick.
Now, he will be.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 12, 2024
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports New England never reached out to anyone else for the job.
The New England Patriots never reached out to a single person including the hot names like Jim Harbaugh, Mike Vrabel, or even Ben Johnson, per sources. They made their decision less than a day after firing Belichick with a plan in place.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 12, 2024
Belichick finishes his Patriots tenure with a 38-12 career record against the Jets. He infamously resigned as “HC of the NYJ” on a napkin after he was nominated as Bill Parcells’ chosen successor in New York. He turned around and became the head coach of the Patriots and continued to torment his former team for over two decades.
Mayo has spent his entire professional career in New England. After being drafted by the Patriots with the 10th overall pick in 2008, he played all eight of his NFL seasons with the Patriots. Four years after retiring, Mayo joined the Patriots’ coaching staff as the linebackers coach, spending the past five seasons in that role.
