Tag: Jerod Mayo

2022 NFL Head Coaching Candidates: Brian Flores, Byron Leftwich and Dan Quinn lead a star-studded group

There are a lot of quality coaching candidates for teams looking for a new head honcho.

The offseason is here for over half the league, which means the coaching carousel will be taking place over the coming weeks as teams get ready for a fresh face to lead their franchise into the future.

So far, the Bears, Dolphins, Vikings, Broncos, Raiders and Jaguars are looking for new head coaches. The Giants and Texans may be joining them depending on what happens in meetings over the next few weeks.

This offseason features an unusually strong crop of head coaching candidates. There are coaches who have already had some success at the position and plenty of assistants who have impressive resumes as they try to reach the pinnacle of the profession.

Here are a few candidates to keep your eye on as teams start to interview coaches.

All Expected Points Added (EPA/Play) data is from The Athletic’s Ben Baldwin.

Report: Broncos request to interview LBs coach Jerod Mayo

The Denver Broncos have requested to interview Jerod Mayo for their head coaching position.

The Denver Broncos have requested to interview Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

As early as last week, Mayo was linked as a potential candidate for the Chicago Bears head coaching job. The Bears officially fired Matt Nagy on Monday, paving the way for that possibility. Broncos head coach Vic Vangio was officially fired on Saturday, before the Broncos took on the Kansas City Chiefs.

Mayo has served as Patriots inside linebackers coach for the past three seasons. As a player, he spent eight seasons with the Patriots before retiring in 2015.

In what has already been a very active coaching carousel, Mayo could be in the thick of things, as teams look for fresh starts.

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Broncos request interview with Patriots LBs coach Jerod Mayo for HC job

Jerod Mayo won a Super Bowl as a linebacker with the Patriots and now coaches LBs in New England.

The Denver Broncos have asked the New England Patriots permission to interview linebackers coach Jerod Mayo for their head coach opening, ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported Monday.

Mayo, 35, would be a candidate to replace former coach Vic Fangio, who was fired by the Broncos on Sunday. Mayo has served as New England’s inside linebackers coach since 2019.

Mayo played linebacker for the Patriots from 2008-2015, winning one Super Bowl and earning two Pro Bowl nods during that time. He joined New England’s coaching staff three years ago and has quickly emerged as a promising young head coach candidate.

If hired, Mayo wouldn’t be the first former Patriots linebacker to get a head coach job. Mike Vrabel won three Super Bowls in New England before going on to coach linebackers with the Houston Texans and later being promoted to defensive coordinator. Vrabel was hired by the Tennessee Titans as head coach in 2018.

Brian Flores didn’t play for the Patriots, but he also coached their linebackers (from 2016-2019) before being hired by the Miami Dolphins as head coach. Flores was fired by Miami on Monday and he should be a candidate for the Broncos as well.

Because New England’s in the playoffs, Denver would not be able to interview Mayo until next week, sometime between Jan. 18-22.

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6 candidates Broncos should consider to replace ex-coach Vic Fangio

After firing Vic Fangio, the Broncos should consider these six coach candidates to replace him.

After firing Vic Fangio on Sunday, the Denver Broncos will now begin looking at potential head coach candidates to replace him. Here is Broncos Wire’s early list of six candidates the team should consider.

Report: Jerod Mayo is potential head-coaching candidate for Bears

Jerod Mayo could potentially find his first head-coaching role with the Bears.

With the Chicago Bears expected to fire head coach Matt Nagy after this season, a New England Patriots assistant has risen a head-coaching candidate. On Friday, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer mentioned inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo as a potential candidate to succeed Nagy.

Mayo is currently the inside linebackers coach for New England. He has held the position for three seasons. He has expressed interest in someday being a head coach, saying as much in November. Now he is on  a short list that includes veterans in the coaching field.

In addition to bigger names like Jim Harbaugh and Sean Payton, Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus was also listed as a potential candidate.

“I’ve heard a few younger candidates that project as leaders, like Patriots LBs coach Jerod Mayo and Colts DC Matt Eberflus, will be in the mix, too. (Obviously, for these types, a plan for developing Justin Fields will be important.)”

As the Patriots venture into the playoffs, Mayo may see his stock continue to rise.

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Jerod Mayo says Dont’a Hightower’s strong play is ‘pleasant surprise’ after opt-out year

Jerod Mayo has been pleased with Dont’a Hightower’s performance.

The New England Patriots linebacker group was without Dont’a Hightower last season. With the veteran opting out due to COVID-19, it was anyone’s guess as to what type of linebacker Hightower would be in 2021.

On the year, Hightower has 28 tackles and two quarterback hits. He has been a piece of a defense that is beginning to find its groove after a difficult month of October.

Linebackers coach Jerod Mayo has been impressed with the way Hightower has contributed to this point in the season. Hightower has played 69% of all defensive snaps. Hightower’s lowest amount since 2012, Mayo is pleased with what he is getting out of his linebacker.

“No, honestly, he’s still the physical player, the good pass rusher and the guy who was able to do a bunch of different things. It’s a pleasant surprise to see him do these things, again, after taking a year off,” Mayo said, per Nick O’Malley of MassLive.com. “So he’s done great for us. He’s good in the classroom. He’s good on the field, smart player and a great leader for this team.”

With the Patriots defense undergoing a facelift in the offseason, Hightower’s versatility continues to be a welcome constant.

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Patriots rookie Ronnie Perkins says he’ll carry Jerod Mayo’s ‘legacy’ with No. 51

“To wear that number, you’ve got to go out there and knock their heads off playing fast.”

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New England Patriots outside linebacker Ronnie Perkins is already setting the bar high entering his rookie year.

Perkins, a third-round pick out of Oklahoma, made the switch from No. 52 in training camp to No. 51 ahead of the Patriots’ preseason matchup against the Washington Football Team. Jerod Mayo, the Patriots’ inside linebackers coach who spent eight years as a player, is one of the more prominent members to don that same number.

Perkins is aware of the accomplishments during his time as a player and relayed the message he received from Mayo while choosing the No. 51.

“He’s like, ‘You’ve got to carry on that legacy. That’s a big number to wear,’ ” Perkins said, transcribed by NESN. “… Mayo told me I’ve got to carry the tradition, man. You can’t wear that number and go out there doing BS. To wear that number, you’ve got to go out there and knock their heads off playing fast. So (I’ve) got to carry on that tradition for him.”

Ja’Whaun Bentley carried that number since 2018, but he made the switch to No. 8 with the new NFL jersey rules.

“I told Bent if I could get 51, I want it, because he just switched out of it,” Perkins said “I was like, ‘if I could get that, I’d be happy.’ … It’s kind of like me just carrying on their tradition and balling out in that number.”

In three seasons at Oklahoma, Perkins tallied 98 tackles with 32 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks. He played in 53 percent of the Patriots’ snaps against Washington and played a huge part in Joejuan Williams’ interception.

The future is bright for Perkins.

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Steve Belichick, Jerod Mayo’s relationship grew when they were in ‘dark’ places

“He was in a dark place. I was in a dark place. So, we spent a lot of time together.”

Some of the greatest relationships stem from difficult moments.

This was the case for New England Patriots coaches Steve Belichick and Jerod Mayo. Steve, Bill Belichick’s son, has coached the team’s defense at some capacity since 2012. Mayo was a two-time Pro Bowler and played eight seasons for the Patriots — converting to the linebackers coach in 2019.

When Mayo went on the injured reserve list during his career, the opportunity came to spend some time with Steve.

“Yeah, me and Jerod, we’ve known each other for a long time,” Steve said following training camp practice, transcribed by WEEI. “Back when I was a QC (quality control) and Jerod went on IR those couple years, he spent a lot of time with me. We called it back in the dungeon. “It was really, really beneficial for me as a young coach to get an elite player’s perspective. And I’m sure at the time he didn’t think he would be coming down this path, but he just kind of got to see the other side of it.

“He’s always been an extremely hardworking person, both as a player and coach since I’ve known him. So, he was always around the building. When he was finishing up his rehab, he’d come in there, help me break down film. And again, me just teaching him the concepts and what we were looking for as coaches and him telling me the player perspective. And it was really, really beneficial for me, like I said, to hear firsthand just the two of us in a room together, no filters or anything like that, no one to try and impress, just two guys learning about football from different perspectives. So, it was great.

“And then obviously, finished off a great career, went into corporate for a couple years, and then ended up coming back and it’s been awesome just working with him, spending a lot of time with him in the building. And yeah, I can’t say enough good things about him, all the things I’ve learned from him, both about football and in life. So it’s been a pleasure to work with him. I’m very fortunate to have a guy like that on the staff, along with the rest of the guys, but just to answer your question specifically.”

Both Steve and Mayo have the potential of being the team’s defensive coordinator as they ascend. Mayo expressed his interest in becoming a head coach in the future and the odds aren’t unlikely considering Bill’s coaching tree.

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Jerod Mayo admits his desire to a be a head coach some day

We always knew #51 would be a coach someday.

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There are some guys who you just know are future coaches in the NFL while they are still playing.

Jerod Mayo was one of those guys.

That’s why when Mayo was brought onto the coaching staff as linebackers coach in 2019, it wasn’t all that surprising to those who watched him as a player in his eight seasons with the New England Patriots.

Mayo, who has appeared to be splitting defensive coordinator duties with Steve Belichick, admitted that he has goals to be a head coach in the league someday.

“I definitely have aspirations to be a head coach,” Mayo said Wednesday. “I’m really focused on this team. We have a great coach here in New England, but that is the goal. I think I could do it. Well, I should say I know I could do it. I’m just waiting for my chance.”

Mayo’s energy, experience, and knowledge of the game make him a perfect candidate for a team looking for a new leader. Despite only coaching for two seasons, Mayo was interviewed by the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason for their open head coach position before they hired Nick Sirianni.

Nothing sums up Mayo quite like this quote from Devin McCourty after the linebacker’s injury in 2015.

“Mayo is kind of the heart and soul of not just the defense, but really the team,” McCourty said. “He gets everybody going. Being able to watch him, he’s a special leader; energy level is always high.”

Those are the traits that tell a fanbase that a player has what it takes to take that next step. Mayo’s next step from his current position will likely be as a head coach, and he deserves to achieve that goal.

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Report: Josh McDaniels’ interview with Eagles took the duration of Sunday

The Eagles are doing their due diligence with Josh McDaniels.

Only two head-coaching gigs remain in the NFL — the Philadelphia Eagles and the Houston Texans.

Two of the final five candidates for the Eagles’ position are New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and linebackers coach Jerod Mayo. Todd Bowles, Joe Brady and Duce Staley are the other three candidates with hopes to land the job.

This could be a huge opportunity for Mayo, as it would begin an entirely new chapter for him. McDaniels seems to going down the coaching carousel every offseason, but he always remains in New England. According to NBC Sports Philly’s John Clark, McDaniels’ interview went from mid-morning on Sunday into the evening, past 9 p.m. ET.

McDaniels would be going into the job with the project of reviving Carson Wentz, which will be a difficult task. The promising first-round pick had his ups and downs over his five seasons, but the 2020 year was abysmal.

If McDaniels doesn’t end up in Philadelphia, he’ll likely remain in New England — he reportedly isn’t a candidate for the Texans’ position.

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