New England Patriots linebacker coach Jerod Mayo admitted he had a strong reaction to the team’s opt-outs, a league-high eight players. Not only did the Patriots lose more players than any other team, they also lost valuable starters, like tackle Marcus Cannon, linebacker Dont’a Hightower and safety Patrick Chung, among others. That apparently weighed upon Mayo, who is headed into his second season as the team’s inside linebacker coach.
“Initially, I was shocked, disappointed. I can’t — a bunch of emotions went through my head,” he said Friday on a videoconference call. “And then I stopped and obviously looked at each situation. These are personal decisions. Obviously, Hightower kind of took step back and just with family and his personal situation and so did Chung.
“I certainly respect it.”
Hightower’s son was just two weeks old when he opted out. Chung said he chose to prioritize his girlfriend, who is pregnant, his 9-year-old son, who has “a little asthma,” and his father, who is 75 years old. The reasoning for each player differs as they elect to skip the season, but generally it involved preserving the health of a loved one. Whatever the reason, the Patriots are preparing for a season without their opt-outs.
“From a football standpoint, we treat it like an injury,” Mayo said. We’ve always — I know it’s cliche — but we’ve always had that next man up mentality. And that’s how we’re approaching it going forward. With that said, even those guys have opted out, those guys will still continue to mentor some of the younger guys, some guys that haven’t played as much ball. I can certainly appreciate it. Hightower is one of the smartest players I’ve ever been around, and so is Chung. So those guys aren’t here with us this year, but they’re still around.”
Youngsters like safety Kyle Dugger, the team’s top draft pick in 2020, and Ja’Whaun Bentely, who will elevate to the top linebacker spot, will need guidance from Hightower and Chung. Their contributions could help lighten the load as Mayo figures out how to fill holes on the Patriots suddenly youthful defense.
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