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As things currently stand, it seems like a foregone conclusion that Bill Belichick will not be the head coach of the Patriots when the 2024 season kicks off, and it appears the team may already know who’s going to replace him.
There was once a time when it was hard to imagine the New England Patriots would willingly part ways with Bill Belichick, who’s been at the helm in Foxborough since he was tapped to replace Pete Carroll back in 2000.
While Belichick is one of the winningest coaches in NFL history (he trails only Don Shula for the all-time record), the Patriots have been down bad without the services of Tom Brady, and their skipper has undoubtedly seen his legacy tarnish based on how the franchise has fared in the absence of the QB.
Earlier this week, a Patriots insider said Robert Kraft decided it was time to enter a new era after the team failed to beat the Colts in Germany, and while Belichick will (presumably) finish out the remainder of the regular season, there’s close to zero doubt he’ll be shown the door as soon as it wraps up.
That obviously means New England will need to name a new head coach, and according to Dan Graziano of ESPN, they’ll likely be going in-house to promote Jerod Mayo, who officially serves as a linebackers coach but is largely credited with running the team’s defense:
Sources close to the Patriots believe Kraft’s plan entering this season was for Belichick to coach two more seasons and have Mayo take over in 2025…
Multiple sources in and around the building say Mayo taking over next year is the most likely outcome, though others are no longer certain that’s the way Kraft will go. Mayo would have to sell Kraft on who will be in charge of the offense, the quarterback’s development and personnel.
Graziano notes that the plan isn’t set in stone, as Kraft could decide to explore his options before naming an official successor. With that said, it does seem like the man who played eight seasons for the Patriots is currently the top candidate to land the job.