Report: Jerod Mayo to interview Tem Lukabu for Patriots defensive coordinator job

Tem Lukabu served three seasons as Boston College's defensive coordinator from 2020-22.

Lukabu spent the last season with the Carolina Panthers. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough)

January 15, 2024

1 minute to read

Jerod Mayo will not be formally introduced as the 15th head coach in Patriots history until Wednesday afternoon.

But the former All-Pro linebacker and New England assistant coach has reportedly already started assembling his coaching staff for next season.

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Mayo is set to interview Carolina Panthers outside linebackers coach Tem Lukabu for New England’s defensive coordinator position.

Lukabu, 42, might be an outsider to the Patriots’ organization, but he does have plenty of ties to the area. Before joining Carolina’s coaching staff last season, Lukabu served as Boston College’s defensive coordinator from 2020-22.

Lukabu’s coaching career began with current Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano, who has been a close confidant of Bill Belichick over the years. After serving as Rutgers director of player development from 2006-07, Lukabu returned to the Scarlet Knights as the team’s outside linebackers coach in 2010-11.

He followed Schiano to the NFL when Schiano was hired as the Buccaneers head coach in 2012, working as a defensive assistant in Tampa Bay until Schiano was fired from his post the following year.

Lukabu’s other coaching stints along the way have included Colgate (linebackers coach, 2014), FIU (defensive line coach, 2015), the San Francisco 49ers (defensive quality control coach, 2016-17), Mississippi State (linebackers coach, 2018), and the Cincinnati Bengals (linebackers coach, 2019).

Mayo has also reportedly expressed interest in retaining some longtime incumbents on Bill Belichick’s coaching staff.

Belichick’s sons — Steve and Brian — have “already been offered the opportunity to return” to Mayo’s coaching staff next season, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated.

Steve Belichick could be an internal candidate to take over as New England’s defensive coordinator, considering that the Patriots co-linebackers coach (alongside Mayo) has served as the team’s defensive play-caller over the last few seasons.

But given that Bill Belichick is likely going to coach another NFL franchise in 2024, there stands a chance that his sons — along with several other current Patriots staffers — could follow the future Hall of Famer to wherever he lands next.