Jerod Mayo has the unenviable task of replacing Patriots head coaching legend Bill Belichick in New England, but there are many who believe the former defensive star will prove successful.
Filling the shoes of a six-time Super Bowl champion will not happen overnight, but Mayo is well respected around the NFL.
One of those firmly in his corner is former New England tight end Rob Gronkowski.
The future Hall of Famer pulls no punches in expressing his belief that Mayo has the perfect skill set to lead the Patriots back to the promised land.
Gronkowski heaped high praise on Mayo on Games With Names with Julian Edelman, calling him “the Tom Brady on the defensive side of the ball.”
“Jerod Mayo was the Tom Brady on the defensive side of the ball”
– Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman discuss how Jerod Mayo will be as new head coach for the New England Patriots.@RobGronkowski @Edelman11 @Patriots @jerod_mayo51
📺 Full Episode: https://t.co/D4cZyQSjZ7 pic.twitter.com/BoNs36NiHw
— Games with Names (@gameswithnames) June 27, 2024
The outspoken former star gave Mayo enormous credit for putting New England defenders in the right position as a coach on the field.
As much as Brady is credited with knowing all the intricacies of the offense, Gronkowski told Edelman that Mayo was also a star in the meeting room.
He knew where every defensive player was supposed to line up and what their assignments were.
And on the field, Mayo had a knack for alerting the defense to what the opposing offense was getting ready to run.
Gronkowski emphasized that these impressive skills would obviously translate well into the linebacker’s future role as a football coach.
With a rookie quarterback, Drake Maye, in line to be developed as the next team leader, it is evident that success will not come overnight.
But Gronkowski and many others firmly believe that the Patriots have the right man for the job.
