NFL Rumors: Patriots already did legwork on “strong candidate” to become new head coach

For the first time since 2000, the New England Patriots need a head coach. After 24 seasons with the team, Patriots owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick amicably agreed to part ways. With that, Belichick is free to sign with a new team. Meanwhile, Kraft will conduct a head coaching search, which won't be an enviable task.

Kraft said on Thursday that they plan to act quickly to hire a new general manager and head coach. In terms of the latter, it seems like they have the inside track on one candidate.

According to NFL Network national insider Ian Rapoport, linebackers coach Jerod Mayo is a "strong candidate" to replace Belichick. If that is the route Kraft wants to go, he can hire Mayo immediately since they informed the NFL that they had a "firm, contractual succession plan."

Patriots can hire Jerod Mayo as head coach immediately if they so choose

Rapoport says that this doesn't mean that Mayo will be the next head coach. Rather, if they choose to do so, they can do so immediately without conducting a lengthy search.

Rapoport brings up that other teams have put succession plans in contracts that allowed them to make a hire immediately without having a huge search. Those teams include the Baltimore Ravens with general manager Eric DeCosta, the Indianapolis Colts with head coach Jim Caldwell, and the Seattle Seahawks with head coach Jim Mora.

Mayo previously was a linebacker for the Patriots from 2008 until 2015. In 2019, Mayo got his first coaching stint with the Patriots under Belichick as a linebackers coach. He has held this position ever since, and the team has thought highly of him as Belichick's eventual successor.

Last year, Mayo received head coaching interest from the Carolina Panthers but declined to interview with the team. Mayo opted to stay with the Patriots due to comfortability in the organization and for family reasons.

The choice for the Patriots did get a bit tougher since former linebacker Mike Vrabel was fired by the Tennessee Titans. Vrabel is a winning head coach, bringing the Titans to the playoffs in three of his six years, and won Coach of the Year for the 2021 season.

Kraft wants the Patriots to return to their winning ways. It will be up to him to determine if Mayo can be the coach that does so. If they do, Mayo's contract allows him to be promoted to head coach immediately without going through a full coaching search.