NFL insiders give latest on Bill Belichick’s future, potential successors
Speculation has reportedly centered on Jerod Mayo.
If Bill Belichick is no longer the Patriots’ coach next season, “speculation has centered” on Jerod Mayo as his replacement, according to two NFL experts.
Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reported Saturday night that the 37-year-old former linebacker turned linebackers coach Mayo is firmly in the mix. His spot is “not a guarantee,” though, and other options such as Josh McDaniels and Brian Flores “shouldn’t be ruled out.”
According to the report, owner Robert Kraft and Belichick still haven’t met to discuss the future.
“Until they do, there will be more questions than answers about how this plays out, and there remains a scenario where Belichick returns to New England for a 25th season,” Pelissero and Rapoport wrote.
They said Belichick “intends to coach” in 2024 and is motivated to break Don Shula’s all-time wins record.
According to Rapoport and Pelissero, Belichick has “lost a level of control” over how the building runs, compared to when the franchise was winning Super Bowls.
Kraft has reportedly consulted numerous people about how to move forward and wants to make sure Belichick’s exit, whenever it comes, is handled the right way. They wrote that a firing, as opposed to a mutual parting, is “highly unlikely.”
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