Patriots' Joe Judge and Jerod Mayo Are Gaining Ground as Young Head Coaching Candidates in NFL
Finding the next young, creative head coach is what each losing NFL franchise is searching for ever since Sean McVay transformed the Los Angeles Rams' organization in 2017. That is why teams like the Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, and Arizona Cardinals all invested their futures in young head coaches who have transformative offenses in today's NFL.
NFL.com's Tom Pelissero spoke to NFL executives, coaches, players and "others familiar with the search process" to corral a list of the annual young head coaching candidates in the NFL. Falling on the list was New England's special teams/wide receiver coach Joe Judge and inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo.
Here is what Pelissero wrote about the two Patriots coaches.
"In the past two years, three Bill Belichick proteges from this list (Mike Vrabel, Matt Patricia and Flores) got their first head-coaching jobs. Who's next?
"One possibility is Judge, 37, whom Belichick -- a big believer in the importance of special teams -- has been grooming, adding the receivers to Judge's title this year. Mayo, 33, only became an NFL coach about seven months ago. But he spent eight seasons playing for Belichick, calling the defensive signals for most of that time, and has strong leadership traits. Sure, it might be a stretch to think Mayo has a shot to run his own program already -- just don't be shocked if somebody requests an interview."
It would not be surprising at all if either Judge or Mayo were interviewed for head coaching jobs in 2020. Former defensive coordinator Brian Flores earned a HC job with the Miami Dolphins this year after being the de facto defensive play caller for just one season in New England, so it's crazy to think both Judge and Mayo wouldn't at the very least have a formal conversation with another organization if given the opportunity.
