Former New England Patriots linebacker and current inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo is reportedly expected to be a top candidate to replace Bill Belichick as the team's head coach following his reported exit, sources with knowledge of the situation told ESPN's Adam Schefter and Mike Reiss on Thursday (January 11).
"Patriots now embark upon their first head-coaching search in a quarter century. Patriots LB coach Jerod Mayo projects to be a — if not the — leading candidate for the job, sources said," Schefter wrote on his X account.
CBS Sports' Josina Anderson said she was told that Mayo was "certainly a lead in-house candidate," but noted that her source said there was "no lead" candidate as of Thursday morning.
"I’m told ‘there is no lead’ candidate at this time for the #Patriots head coach vacancy, though linebackers coach Jerod Mayo is certainly a lead in-house candidate (and fittingly so), per source," Anderson wrote on her X account. "If Bill Belichick can definitively secure a seat with one of these openings, I’m told to expect him to bring back some familiar faces to his staff. We’ll see what kind of power teams are willing to give still and/or what Belichick is comfortable potentially relinquishing or not? I still believe there are at least two teams worth monitoring for potential change at the chief coaching spot as we head into getting playoff results."
NBC Sports Boston's Tom E Curran, who had previously reported in December that the team had already decided on Belichick's future, said, "the indications that I've gotten is that Jerod Mayo will be the successor to Bill" shortly after the Patriots' reported decision to move on from Belichick Thursday morning.
Mayo was selected by Belichick and the Patriots at No. 10 overall in the 2008 NFL Draft and had a decorated playing career that included winning Super Bowl XLIX and the 2008 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award, as well as leading the NFL in tackles in 2010 and being selected as a Pro Bowler twice and a first-team All-Pro in 2010. The former University of Tennessee standout retired in 2016 and began his NFL coaching career in 2019.
The Patriots haven't yet confirmed the report, but said Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft would "address the media" at 12:00 p.m. ET on Thursday.
Belichick ranks first third in NFL history with 301 wins, having won 36 games during his first head coaching tenure with the Cleveland Browns from 1991-95. The Patriots have, however, struggled in recent years, making only one postseason appearance since the departure of longtime franchise quarterback Tom Brady in 2020.
New England had previously won the AFC East during all but two seasons during Brady's 20-year tenure, which included the 2008 season in which he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1.
Belichick is one of seven NFL head coaches to have spent more than 20 years with one franchise following George Halas (40) of the Chicago Bears, Curly Lambeau (29) of the Green Bay Packers, Tom Landry (29) of the Dallas Cowboys, Don Shula (26) of the Miami Dolphins, Steven Owen (24) of the New York Giants and Chuck Noll of the Pittsburgh Steelers, all of whom have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Jason Whitlock Calls Stephen A. Smith an 'Industry Plant' With a Bogus Past
WATCH: Auburn Students Are Already Celebrating the Retirement of Nick Saban
Doug Gottlieb: The Patriots Should Just Admit That Bill Belichick Was Fired Today
Colin Cowherd: Bill Belichick Refused to Adapt to the Modern NFL
Jason Whitlock Calls Out Stephen A. Smith After His 'Fat Bastard' Comments
Rob Parker Says Michigan 'Cheaters' Shouldn't Celebrate a 'Tainted' Title
Ben Maller: Josh Allen is an Overrated Jameis Winston-Type Turnover Machine
Dan Patrick: Jim Harbaugh and Michigan Could Still Lose This National Championship
Jason Smith: Michael Penix Jr.'s Championship Performance Brings Pause To NFL Evaluation
Nick Wright Fills Out NFC Playoff Bracket, Reveals Picks For Every Round