Mayo’s spent most of his adult life with the Patriots, but he held a couple of interesting jobs between his stints with the team.
Roughly 24 hours after Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft held a joint press conference to announce the end of the legendary Patriots coach’s tenure, the team already declared who his successor would be.
Mayo was officially named the Patriots’ next head coach early Friday afternoon, with the announcement coming a few hours after the news broke that he would be replacing Belichick.
Many Patriots fans likely already know a good deal about Mayo, who has spent most of his adult life with the organization. But in case you need a refresher, here are seven things to know about the Patriots’ next head coach. He enjoyed a decorated playing career with the Patriots.
Many likely still think of Mayo more as a former player than they do as a current coach, but there’s a good reason for that.
Mayo was one of the pillars of the Patriots’ roster for practically his entire eight-year playing career, making an impact right away. The 10th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, Mayo won Defensive Rookie of the Year, posting 128 combined tackles as he helped New England’s defense rank among the best in the league that year.
Mayo’s emergence continued as he became one of the faces of the early years of the second half of the Patriots’ dynasty run. He led the NFL in tackles in 2010, recording 175 combined tackles that season to help him earn his first first-team All-Pro nod and Pro Bowl honor. He earned the second Pro Bowl nod of his career two years later, when he recorded 147 combined tackles and three sacks.
Unfortunately for Mayo, his career took a turn in 2013. He tore a pectoral muscle in October of that season, cutting his year short after six games. A year later, Mayo suffered a torn patellar tendon in the sixth game of the season, also ending his year short and causing him to miss the Partriots’ Super Bowl XLIX win.
Mayo played all 16 games regular-season games for the Patriots in 2015, but he was mostly played in a backup role. He suffered another season-ending injury in the postseason that year, leading him to announce his retirement from playing football in February 2016.Mayo earned quick respect from his teammates and coaches for his work ethic and football IQ.
Mayo became a team captain in his second year as a pro, a rarity for non-quarterbacks. But his teammates understood why as he commanded respect from players on both sides of the ball.
Late in the 2009 season, former Patriots coach Bill Belichick called Mayo an “outstanding” leader, understanding why his teammates voted him as a captain so soon.
“He’s the defensive signal-caller and one of our best players and one of our most prepared players and one of our most productive players,” Belichick told reporters at the time. “All that leadership and that role on the team of being in the middle of the defense on every play, run or pass, calling the signals, he’s emerged into the real leader on the defensive side of the ball.
