Jerod Mayo, the newly appointed head coach of the New England Patriots, has revealed his plans for rebuilding the team including in the quarterback position in the post-Bill Belichick era.
The 38-year-old has been given the daunting task of succeeding a predecessor who led one of the most successful dynasties in sports history. Mayo, who previously served as a linebacker coach at Gillette Stadium after a successful stint with the Patriots on the field, was appointed by Robert Kraft following an historically poor season for the Patriots in 2023.
Following their worst regular season performance this century, the departure of the legendary Belichick marked the end of his 24-year association with the team. However, it seems that Mayo is ready to take on the challenge of succeeding a legend, as he aims to orchestrate a rebuild that will return the Patriots to their former glory.
With only one playoff appearance since Tom Brady's departure after the 2019 season, Mayo is well aware that he is not inheriting a team that is immediately set for success. The new coach stepping into the legendary Belichick's role is calling for patience as he gears up to take the helm for the 2024 season.
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Despite some forecasting a response similar to another former Patriot Nick Caserio's remarkable turnaround as general manager of the Houston Texans, the incoming coach has urged for a realistic outlook on the Patriots' future prospects. In fact, he has dismissed any comparisons as he called for time to rebuild.
"Remember, Caserio had been building that team for [two] years before they got C.J. Stroud in that position," he told ESPN, tempering expectations and adding, "So when you look at our team -- I'm not asking for patience, but I kind of am. It's a process."
In addition to setting the tone for his tenure, the coach also hinted at potential draft strategies, particularly regarding the quarterback position. He acknowledged the importance of a strong QB1 but emphasized the broader team dynamic, saying, "It's not only about the quarterback. Obviously you want to have that QB1 and build around him, but it doesn't always happen when you want it."
New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo has been tasked with filling the void left by Bill Belichick by owner Robert Kraft (Getty)"Look, we could bring a QB in here and he may not be ready to play, realistically. That's why we have a guy like Jacoby [Brissett] coming along. Jacoby is great. He can still play football and also mentor someone in that room, and he has a connection to that offense with [offensive coordinator Alex] Van Pelt, so he can always be that teacher. That's how we're looking at it."
Delving deeper into the Patriots' mindset as the draft approaches, Mayo said: "Eliot (Wolf), has the final decision, but at the same time, there's a lot that goes into that final decision. It's kind of like a call sheet. You get to a game with a call sheet, it's really already done.
"There's no bad play on a call sheet. The one benefit of being at three is that if we like the top five quarterbacks, we'll have our pick at No. 3. It doesn't really matter - that's kind of how we're looking at it."
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