Even though he is replacing arguably the great head coach of all-time in Bill Belichick, New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo is already making history — and getting some support from around the league.
Mayo, who was hired on Jan. 12 as the Patriots’ 15th head coach in franchise history and first in 24 years, became the first Black head coach in Patriots’ history. During his introductory press conference Wednesday in Foxboro, Mayo stated he’s already received some support from around the league, including Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
According to a tweet from NESN Patriots beat writer Dakota Randall, Tomlin reached out to Mayo to offer congratulations on Mayo being hired as New England’s head coach.
With Mayo’s hiring in New England, he becomes the fourth Black head coach in the NFL, joining Tomlin, Houston’s DeMeco Ryans, and Tampa Bay’s Todd Bowles. All three in Tomlin, Ryans and Bowles led their teams to the playoffs this season though Ryans and Bowles are the only ones left in the postseason.
Mayo is from the same hometown as Tomlin, that being Hampton, Virginia.
Tomlin knows a thing or two about taking over as a first Black head coach in franchise history, doing so with the Steelers in 2007, taking over for Hall of Famer Bill Cowher just two years after the Steelers won the Super Bowl in 2005. He’s been the head coach in Pittsburgh the last 17 years and has become one of the faces of the NFL.
Mayo wasn’t a surprise hire in New England after the Patriots and Belichick agreed to mutually part ways following a 4-13 season. In his contract, there was a succession plan for Mayo to be the next head coach so New England didn’t have to go through the traditional interview process, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport tweeted following the news of Mayo’s hiring.
Mayo is a head coach with whom Tomlin is familiar albeit outside of his new role as head coach. Mayo served as the Patriots’ inside linebackers coach from 2019-23, and was a linebacker in New England from 2008-15, helping the Patriots win one Super Bowl while earning one first-team All-Pro and two trips to the Pro Bowl. He even led the NFL in tackles in 2010.
