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Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo may have been as surprised as anyone that former New England boss Bill Belichick has decided to take the college route for his next head coaching job. Belichick shocked the football world by accepting the head coaching position at North Carolina, and Mayo offered his congratulations to the 72-year-old coaching legend for landing his new gig.
Mayo addressed the Belichick hiring as he answered questions at his Friday press conference before the Patriots take off for Arizona and their Week 15 game against the Cardinals.
“Yeah, I said it before,” Mayo said. “Happy for him. He's a good coach. He should be coaching. I'm sure he's going to do a good job out there. Wish him nothing but the best.”
There is a bit of irony there since Mayo replaced the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach of the Patriots when he was dismissed at the conclusion of last season. The idea that a rookie head coach would pass judgement on Belichick's coaching ability seems a bit of a reach, but it also displays Mayo's courtesy and fondness to his former boss.
Mayo not worried about losing staff members to Belichick's coaching staff
Belichick was introduced as the Tar Heels' head coach Thursday and now must go about the business of filling out his staff. Mayo does not seem concerned that members of his coaching staff will be hired to take spots with North Carolina.
However, one coach that would apparently be drawn to North Carolina is Patriots safeties coach Brian Belichick. It would seem quite likely that he might want to join his father in Chappel Hill, North Carolina, but Belichick's son did not indicate he would be leaving his position at any time soon.
“Personally, I have my hands full today, getting ready for practice out there on the field,” Brian Belichick said, per the Boston Globe. “It’s an especially big day for us because we’re leaving [Friday]. A lot to get straight. Like every week in the NFL.
“We have our hands full here. My focus is going to Arizona and getting a win.”
The Patriots have struggled quite a bit in their first year without Bill Belichick at the helm since the 1999 season. The Patriots are 3-10 and are tied with the New York Jets for third place in the AFC East.
There was some hope when New England opened the season with a 16-10 road victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, but they have won just two games since then. The Patriots are hoping that rookie quarterback Drake Maye will develop into a top-level signal caller. He has completed 172 of 256 passes for 1,696 yards with an 11-8 TD-interception ratio.
