Jerod Mayo Hired to Replace Bill Belichick as Patriots HC; NFL's Youngest Head Coach

The New England Patriots have promoted inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo to be their next head coach.

The 37-year-old is now the youngest head coach in the NFL.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Friday that the Patriots "will now work to hire a new GM to work with" Mayo.

Mayo replaces Bill Belichick, who won six Super Bowls, nine AFC titles and 17 AFC East crowns during his 24-year career with the Pats. Belichick and the team mutually parted ways after the 2023 campaign.

This promotion almost felt inevitable, especially given owner Robert Kraft's comments last offseason following a contract extension. Per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald, Kraft called Mayo "a strong candidate to be the heir apparent" last offseason.

"There's no ceiling on (Mayo's) ability to be a head coach—and he'll be a head coach," Kraft said at the time. "I'm sure of that. I hope he's with us, so we'll see what happens."

Rapoport also called Mayo a "strong candidate" to get the job.

Mayo is with them, and that prophecy has now been fulfilled.

Mayo played with the Patriots from 2008-2015, earning Pro Bowl honors in 2010 and 2012 and All-Pro honors in 2010 (NFL-high 175 tackles). He was also the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2008.

Four years later, New England hired Mayo as its inside linebackers coach. Now he's earned a well-deserved promotion to head coach as he becomes only the second Patriots head coach this century.