HAMPTON, Va. — Jerod Mayo has been hired as the New England Patriot's new head coach, according to ESPN.
Mayo was born in Hampton and graduated from Kecoughtan High School 2004. He played college football at the University of Tennessee.
At 37 he will be the youngest coach in the NFL and the franchise's first black head coach.
He began his coaching career in 2019 as a linebackers coach with the Patriots, according to the team's website. During his first coaching season, their defense finished No. 1 in the NFL.
The announcement comes the day after it was announced the Patriots would split ways with former head coach Bill Belichick, who during media availability said “I’ll always be a Patriot. I look forward to coming back here. But at this time, we’re going to move on. And I look forward, excited for the future.”
With his cutoff hoodies and ever-present scowl, Belichick teamed with quarterback Tom Brady to lead the Patriots to six Super Bowl victories, so Mayo has a lot to live up to.