NFL Rumors: Patriots Don't Think Jerod Mayo Can 'Do Everything' Bill Belichick Did

The New England Patriots have high hopes and expectations for new head coach Jerod Mayo. However, that doesn't mean they believe he will be the same well-oiled machine that former head coach Bill Belichick was for more that two decades.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported that while Patriots owner Robert Kraft and the rest of the front office believes that Mayo can quickly be a terrific head coach, it "does not mean the Patriots think that Mayo can step in and do everything Belichick did; they don't."

Instead, Breer reported that the Patriots intend too stack the scouting room and give a chance to over voices to have more say in the decisions made.

"The plan for now is to empower a scouting department that, over the years, has had talented folks frustrated that they weren't being heard in the final decision-making process," Breer wrote. "....The Krafts do believe they've got good people in scouting, and people they know Mayo can work with (again, they're not guessing on that). So, for now, director of player personnel Matt Groh, director of scouting Eliot Wolf, senior personnel advisor Pat Stewart, pro scouting director Steve Cargile and college scouting director Cam Williams will run free agency and the draft, as the Patriots consider how they want to reshape the department."

Additionally, Breer reported that the Krafts believe that Mayo has the intangibles to be an excellent head coach and have seen his growth since joining the staff in 2019.

"The gut feeling on Mayo, I'm told, is about what the Krafts believe is most important in a head coach in today's NFL—leadership, work ethic, emotional intelligence, overall intellect and, maybe most of all, an ability to communicate, connect with and motivate young guys," Breer wrote. "The Krafts, again, aren't guessing on that part. They've seen it as Mayo swiftly ascended through the ranks of Belichick's coaching staff. He's been the voice leading the defensive meeting room, more or less, since he dived into coaching for the 2019 season."

Mayo played eight seasons in the NFL, exclusively for the Patriots. He won Super Bowl XLIX with the team and was named to two Pro Bowls while also picking up a first-team All-Pro nod and a Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Notably, he also captained the defense for several seasons.

He will have big shoes to fill after Belichick's legendary run with the franchise but it appears that the organization intends to let Mayo carve out his own legacy and culture.