Mike McDaniel has a new head coach to beat in New England after Patriots hire Jerod Mayo
By Brian Miller
Mike McDaniel has done very well against Bill Belichick but the Patriots opted to part ways with their quarter century head coach and replace him with a former player.
Jerod Mayo, the former Patriot defender is now the team's head coach. It is kind of hard not to snicker at this move but as Miami Dolphins fans can relate, laughing only makes that "Karma Witch" turn her attention on you.
Regardless, this is one of those head-scratching moves by Bob Kraft that makes absolutely no sense. First, the team doesn't have a general manager in place which means any new GM will come to the team without being able to pick his own HC.
Mayo was a good player for the Patriots but he began coaching in 2019 with the Patriots. His entire NFL career has been with New England.
Bob Kraft clearly wants to continue with the "Patriot Way" that Belichick established over his career. The question is whether or not that system can work in today's NFL. Many in the media believe that Mayo, who already has the respect of his players, was more than ready for the opportunity.
Mayo will take over the Patriots in a division that has the Bills and Dolphins sitting at the top and the Jets trying to become relevant again.
With his addition to the NFL coaching ranks, Mayo will be the youngest coach in the NFL when he is officially announced sometime next week.
As for the Dolphins, it will be business as usual come next season. The Dolphins are the one team that found even a small amount of success against the Patriots during the New England heyday and Tua Tagovailoa did not lose to the Patriots so far in his career.
New blood in the division could be good and with Belichick off the sideline, it will be interesting to watch as Mayo tries to get the same breaks that Belichick did from the refs.
The AFC is now a young man's coaching unit. Sean McDermott is the older coach, 49, followed by 44-year-old Robert Saleh, and 40-year-old Mike McDaniel. Mayo will begin his NFL career at the age of 37.