Mayo is taking on bigger role
FOXBOROUGH — Jerod Mayo has been a Patriot since the team drafted him in the first round in 2008, and he really didn’t want to go anywhere this offseason.
“My family is here,” the linebackers coach said Tuesday as the Patriots continued their first week of the 2023 offseason program. “I love it here in Boston. I pretty much was raised here at this point. It would take a lot for me to leave.”
That doesn’t mean Mayo wants to remain linebackers coach forever. He was going to interview for the Panthers’ head coaching vacancy in January, and probably others, before the Patriots stepped in and announced Jan. 12 that they “have begun contract extension discussions with Jerod Mayo that would keep him with the team longterm.”
To keep Mayo in Foxborough, the Patriots didn’t have to give him a loftier title or the promise of calling plays; in fact, Mayo said Steve Belichick will continue to call defensive plays, as he has since 2019.
But the Patriots did give Mayo more responsibility, in addition to what is most likely a fatter paycheck. Mayo said the organization allowed him to sit in on the interviews for offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. He also hopes to be in the draft room next week.
The Patriots appear committed to helping Mayo develop into a head coach, which they haven’t done for many other assistants during Bill Belichick’s 23year tenure. They haven’t expressly called Mayo their coach-in-waiting, but it certainly appears they are grooming him that way.
“The whole role thing, that’s not important as long as I’m growing,” Mayo said. “I am confident in the plan they put together as far as my development is concerned. I’m just excited, and honestly I’m trying to be a sponge and learn as much as I can when I’m in those meetings that I’m not normally in.”
Mayo, 37, said he is relishing the opportunity, trying to pick the brains of as many people in the organization as possible.
“It’s not only talking to Bill, it’s also talking to the scouts, to the cap guys, to the researchers and all that,” Mayo said. “I have a lot to learn, and honestly that’s another reason I wanted to be here, because I feel like we do it right here.”
Mayo called Belichick “an open book” and said his relationships with both Bill and Steve Belichick remain strong.
“It’s not awkward,” Mayo said. “Steve and I have a great relationship. All the defensive coaches, we’re all on the same page. Nothing is really going to change in that regard. Steve is in those meetings sometimes, as well, so it’s good.”
Steve Belichick, who works with linebackers alongside Mayo, agreed that it’s not awkward that Mayo got a promotion.
“Not from my side,” Steve Belichick said. “I was excited. I love working with Jerod. We work well together, the whole staff is back, so I look forward to working with everybody.”
Work to do
The Patriots have made a few modest roster improvements, subbing in JuJu Smith-Schuster for Jakobi Meyers, and adding tight end Mike Gesicki and right tackle Riley Reiff. The biggest additions arguably were offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien and offensive line coach Adrian Klemm.
But during a predraft news conference, director of player personnel Matt Groh conceded that adding coaches won’t magically fix the Patriots.
“I would not say as a personnel staff we say, ‘Yeah, our personnel is good enough,’ ” said Groh, now in his second season in the role previously held by Nick Caserio. “We were an 8-9 football team. As the old saying goes, ‘You are what you are,’ and that’s a losing record, and I think we’ve got to get better across the board.”
Groh sidestepped when asked if the Patriots have put enough talent at receiver around Mac Jones.
“We’re going to keep pushing and looking to try and get better at every position,” he said. “I know Mac’s working hard, and trying to do everything he can to take advantage of his opportunities.”