Jerod Mayo has big shoes to fill as he takes over the helm for the New England Patriots after Bill Belichick led the way for nearly a quarter century.
He transitions from his assistant role into setting the tone for a very young New England squad with crucial development as the priority for the 2024 season. Mayo certainly appears to be the right guy for the job. He mixes a younger relatability to players while also calling upon principles he followed under Belichick, both in his coaching and playing career with the Patriots.
As he navigates his first training camp as an NFL head coach, how much has Mayo spoken with his predecessor.
“That’s a tough question,” Mayo told Kay Adams on FanDuel’s “Up And Adams” show on Monday. “We haven’t had a lot of communication since I’ve been here.”
While that may raise eyebrows, that lack of communication allows Mayo to create more separation in regimes and allow the Patriots on building their next era toward winning football.
“Honestly for me, my focus is the players,” Mayo shared. “It’s all about the players. I learned a lot from Bill. I honestly did. X’s and O’s, structure in practice and things like that. Like I said, it’s a different time. It’s a different era and hopefully we can have that same success.”
The Patriots had their first padded practice on Monday and open the preseason against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium on Aug. 8.
