Jerod Mayo is starting a trend in the Patriots locker room

When it was shockingly announced that Bill Belichick would be leaving the Patriots after two decades, there were a lot of questions about the impact of his absence on the team he helped lead to unimaginable success for such a long time.

He was the mastermind of "the Patriot Way," which dictated much about how the team conducted itself on and off the field. It was very much led by example, which Belichick did by never revealing too much to the media and keeping his true personality under wraps for the majority of his career.

There was a noticeable aura at Gillette Stadium because of the expectations set by the longtime head coach and general manager, which some former players felt made the Patriots not a fun place to play despite how much they won.

Now that he was set to be replaced by Jerod Mayo, who was coached by Belichick and worked alongside him during his coaching career, there was speculation about how much of the "Patriot Way" would remain intact and what parts Mayo might do away with to make the team his own.

Based on what has been reported so far, there is a dramatically different vibe in the building, and it's not just a feeling; it's the implementation of a new encouraged dynamic and the removal of much of what filled the stadium during the Belichick era.

Jerod Mayo is starting a trend in the Patriots locker room

Stepping in as the first head coach after Belichick is certainly not easy, and there's a lot for Mayo to do to take ownership of the team while creating a new identity that doesn't hinge on Belichick's past successes.

It appears one of Mayo's first orders of business has been to give the team a more relaxing vibe, which The Athletic's Jeff Howe has detailed.

He has done this by adding basketball hoops to the locker room and even in coaches' offices. He has also reportedly turned the cafeteria into a hangout spot for the players to connect and get to know each other, which is especially important for a team during a rebuild.

To get the team to buy into what they're trying to accomplish now and in the future, many reminders of the team's past success have been removed from the building's walls. It's clear Mayo is jumping headfirst into establishing a new era in New England, and so far, the players are all in with him.

"Mayo also has changed the vibe around the building. There’s a basketball hoop in the locker room, and some coaches even have one in their meeting rooms for an added dose of competition. The cafeteria has turned into a spot where all these new faces are encouraged to hang out and get to know each other better.

…Noticeably, Mayo has pared down the memorabilia from Super Bowls past. The purpose is twofold. First, to signify that this is a completely different team. Second, while it’s important to see the results of the franchise’s past seasons, it’s more valuable to recognize and prioritize the process of achieving those results."

On top of it all, Mayo has also ended the age-old stints of long discussions and note-taking by players and limited them to 25 minutes before giving them a break in hopes of keeping everyone actively involved in the conversation and remaining present.

"Gone are the marathon sessions. Now, the Patriots conduct 25-minute mental sprints before taking five-minute breaks. t's a way to heighten the pace while giving the coaches and players a quick chance to relax before getting back after it."

Given what we know about all the changes that have come under Mayo already, it's apparent he's hoping a new approach will revitalize a team that was mostly checked out last season due to the chaos behind the scenes, which he also witnessed firsthand.

They were in need of a shakeup, even if Belichick had stayed, and so far the attitude from the team is drastically different than one year ago, which will hopefully pay off on the field as well.

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