NFL Rumors: Could Patriots replace Bill Belichick with a coach having a military background?
Bill Belichick will turn 71 next month and enter his 24th season as Patriots head coach this year. While the head coach has shown no signs of resigning anytime soon, New England could already have the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach's successor on staff.
Former Patriots star Jerod Mayo is an inside linebackers coach and is similar to Belichick, growing up with a military background. Mayo's mother, Denise, raised him in Virginia with assistance from her parents. The former NFL linebacker spent a great deal of time with his grandfather, Walter Johnson, a retired Chief Master Sergeant in the Air Force.
Denise had two jobs, including one at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia. Mayo was the second oldest of four boys, and a youth mentor at Zion Prospect Baptist Church. The Patriots linebacker coach connected with Belichick, who spent his developmental years in Annapolis, Md., where his dad Steve was employed at the Naval Academy.
A couple of former teammates of Jerod Mayo have spoken highly of him. Former New England Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes commented that Mayo will be the next Bill Belichick.
Spikes said:
“He’s Bill Belichick 2.0. They speak the same language.”
Former Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich noted that the franchise knows what they have in Mayo and wants to keep him there.
Ninkovich said:
"They know what they have. So why let that leave if you can keep that within the organization?”
Nothing is assured at this point as Belichick could still win games and coach for a few more years. The 2009 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year could get an offer from another franchise that he cannot refuse. Opinions could differ, but for now, it’s clear that owner Robert Kraft and his son Jonathan want to keep him with the team.
Bill Belichick's 2023 net worth and salary
Per Celebrity Net Worth, Bill Belichick has a net worth of $60 million in 2023. The three-time AP Coach of the Year is set to make $20 million in the 2023 season, according to Sportico.
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