Patriots hire Bill Belichick's replacement in Jerod Mayo, proving plan was in place

This week, the New England Patriots have wasted no time in kicking their offseason into high gear.

A day after the team and head coach Bill Belichick decided to part ways, the legend's successor was named.

Early Friday morning, the Patriots announced they would hire from within, promoting inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo to be their next head coach.

Moving fast and furiously, Robert Kraft appeared to have already had a plan in place for the Patriots.

While other teams with head coaching vacancies are vigorously in the middle of their search, New England can rest easily. With the way this hire came about, it was clear from the beginning: it was always going to be Mayo.

Even back when rumors began swirling during the middle of the season, of Belichick's time possibly being up, Mayo's name was already being whispered.

The new head coach spent his entire playing career with New England as a former first-round pick back in 2008. A college linebacker for the Tennessee Volunteers, Mayo was a standout who saw his name come off the board early, as the Patriots took him no. 10 overall.

Just a few years after his final season as a player (2015) he began his coaching career in 2019 as the inside linebackers coach. Like former Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel, Mayo always seemed destined to become a head coach because of his experience within the New England organization.

Defensively, the Patriots finished the 2023 season much better than the average fan would have assumed, which is a big reason why Mayo was promoted. The Patriots finished as the no. 7 overall defense in yards allowed, and having continuity is an important aspect, here.

Of course, while maintaining the team's defensive prowess, Mayo will now turn his attention to helping solve the quarterback issue. Now that the biggest decision of the team's past two decades has been made, it's time to focus on another monumental ask: can this team finally find a long-term answer under center in the post-Brady era?

The plan was in place, all along. And, Patriots fans can trust that Kraft and Mayo likely already have a plan penciled out, owning the no. 3 pick. From here, it only gets more exciting in New England.