The Patriots opting to hire former New England linebacker (2008-2015) and former linebackers coach (2019-2023) Jerod Mayo to be Bill Belichick's successor as their head coach surprised some, but not a couple of his former teammates.
Both retired tight Rob Gronkowski and retired wide receiver Julian Edelman clocked Mayo's football acumen early on in their time as his Patriots teammates.
"Jerod Mayo was just a phenomenon on the football field with lining every one up and also in the meeting rooms as well," Gronkowski said on Edelman's "Games With Names" podcast on Tuesday. "He knew where every player needed to be during any situation that occurred on the defensive side of the ball. He knew how to read offenses, he knew when to call out plays, and he was always correct when he'd call a play out, or else he was just making the whole defense aware of when that play was going to be called. ... He was just always alert, and you could always tell that was going to translate into the next phase of his life."
Mayo, who earned two Pro Bowl selections, a 2010 First-Team All-Pro nod and the 2008 Defensive Rookie of the Year award in eight seasons with New England after being selected 10th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, translated the traits he put on display as an on-field leader of Belichick's defense as a coach under Belichick.
"Jerod Mayo was the Tom Brady on the defensive side of the ball," Gronkowski said.
Since Mayo became a New England assistant back in 2019, the Patriots defense ranks third in the NFL in scoring defense (19.2 points per game allowed), third in total defense (312.8 points per game allowed), second in third down defense (35.8% conversion rate allowed) and fourth in red zone defense (53.5% red zone touchdown rate allowed). The Patriots have the lowest missed tackle rate in the entire league (8.9%) since Mayo came aboard five seasons ago.
"When he was playing, that's what what made him a better player, too," Gronkowski said. "... If you know where to be on the football field, that can make you a better player because you're already in position to make the play."
Edelman, a three-time Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl LIII MVP, moonlighted on defense in the secondary in 2011, and he mentioned feeling much more confident playing on that side of the ball after a chat with Mayo.
"I always had to look at Jerod," Edelman said. "I knew what I had to do, but I'd always ask to get the approval from Jerod, because if Jerod said that, you knew it was right."
