One day after announcing their split from Bill Belichick, the
New England Patriots have a clear front-runner for the coaching job left vacant by a legend.
All signs are pointing to Jerod Mayo becoming the franchise’s 15th head coach, according to league sources briefed on the matter who were not authorized to discuss it publicly.
Mayo was lured into coaching by Belichick in 2019 and became one of Belichick’s most trusted assistants, helping develop the team’s defensive game plans in recent seasons.
Now, barring a change of heart from owners Robert and Jonathan Kraft, Mayo will become Belichick’s successor. An announcement could come as soon as the middle of next week.
The move could happen so quickly because of language in Mayo’s contract that was previously unknown and because of little-known aspects of the league’s Rooney Rule, which typically requires teams to conduct in-person interviews with at least two external minority candidates. The language in Mayo’s contract was first reported by NFL Network.
In a part of the Rooney Rule that wasn’t well known before this week, teams can bypass the typical interview process if they establish in writing a succession plan and communicate that with the league before the start of the season. According to a league source, the Patriots did that with Mayo.
Things haven’t been finalized with Mayo. The Krafts spent most of Wednesday with Belichick discussing next steps and determining his exit. They spent Thursday ceremoniously celebrating the split and the success Belichick brought to New England. On Friday, they can begin to turn the page and look ahead to the looming coaching search.