Report: Leading Candidate Has Emerged to Replace Bill Belichick with Patriots

After 24 years, the New England Patriots and coach Bill Belichick are parting ways. 

The Patriots have scheduled a joint news conference with team owner Robert Kraft and Belichick at noon ET on Thursday, and as the team makes the separation official, a leading candidate reportedly has emerged.

Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo is expected to be a leading candidate to become New England’s next head coach, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Mike Reiss.

Mayo signed a contract extension in New England this offseason and is viewed by Kraft as a “rising head coaching candidate.” He played linebacker under Belichick from 2008 through ’14 and has been with the Patriots as an assistant since the ’19 season.

Mayo long has been viewed as the potential next head coach of the Patriots, but Mike Vrabel’s unexpected availability could impact New England’s coaching search. Vrabel went 54-45 in six seasons as head coach of the Tennessee Titans, a stint that included two AFC South titles, three playoff appearances and an AFC title game appearance in the 2019 season.

Vrabel played linebacker for the Patriots under Belichick from 2001 through ’08, and won three Super Bowls in New England. He was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame last fall.

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