Jerod Mayo picked up a victory in his first game as a head coach, something Bill Belichick wasn’t able to do in his debut with either the New England Patriots or the Cleveland Browns.
The former Patriots linebacker began his tenure replacing the future Hall of Famer on the New England sideline with a 16-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Team owner Robert Kraft presented Mayo with the game ball afterward, and the coach said, “We’re just getting started.”
Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 120 yards and a first-quarter touchdown, Kyle Duggar had a touchdown-saving forced fumble and Joey Slye kicked three field goals for the new-look Patriots in their first regular-season game since firing Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl champion, after a 4-13 season and beginning their rebuild under Mayo, a first-time head coach.