NFL rumors: Patriots told surprising pair of coaches they can stick around

A new era has dawned on Foxborough, as former star middle linebacker Jerod Mayo, who was often heralded as a coach on the field and a favorite of Bill Belichick's, has replaced his legendary defensive mentor as the leading man for the New England Patriots.

There's plenty of optimism surrounding Mayo's introduction as Patriots head coach, and, frankly, the Pats need some positivity after the team's struggles lately with Mac Jones firing blanks under center for an anemic offense. Mayo's specialty lies on the defensive side of the ball on paper, but former defensive players tend to be astute on the other side of the ball, too, having observed and schemed against great offensive minds for years.

Mayo should have a strong team around him, and Robert Kraft will support the new head coach as much as possible. To that end, Mayo actually wants to keep working with some of the holdovers from Belichick's regime, including two coaches near and dear to the beloved curmudgeon's heart.

Jerod Mayo, Patriots still want Bill Belichick's sons around

ESPN's veteran Patriots reporter Mike Reiss writes that Bill Belichick's sons Steve and Brian have been told they can stay in their roles if they want to, with the specific language being that they have "earned" their place. Steve has been established as the outside linebackers coach and has a reportedly "close" relationship with Mayo, while Brian has recently been serving as safeties coach.

Mayo keeping the Belichick boys around is heartwarming but also sensible. They have indeed paid their dues, know Mayo, and know the organization well. Particularly in these more niche coaching roles working with specific positions, it is best not to have too much turnover, though the head coach usually wants his own guys fitting his philosophy at the main roles like coordinator.

It looks like Mayo will want to keep a family vibe around the Pats. Belichick's sons may have heard nepotism criticisms in the past from some fans around the NFL, so it must mean a lot for them to hear that the organization sees them as having earned their jobs.