New England Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo has emerged as a "strong candidate" to replace Bill Belichick, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
According to Rapoport, if the Patriots decide to hire Mayo, the process would be fairly simple because of a succession plan in a prior contract that was communicated to the NFL.
Mayo, who played in New England from 2008 to 2015, has been the inside linebackers coach for the organization since 2019. If hired, Mayo would be one of the youngest coaches in the NFL, continuing a transition around the league to young coaches.