Bill Belichick's true colors shown with actions after Jerod Mayo took his job

Heading into his first year as head coach of the New England Patriots, Jerod Mayo shared that he had minimal communication with his predecessor, Bill Belichick . Belichick, synonymous with the Patriots franchise after coaching them for 24 seasons, did not offer a congratulatory conversation to Mayo.

During a sit-down interview during Patriots training camp in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Mayo opened up about his new role on the show "Up & Adams," hosted by sportscaster Kay Adams. When asked about his communication with Belichick, Mayo paused briefly before admitting, "We haven't had much communication since I've been here, and honestly, my focus is on the players."

Mayo emphasized that priority, stating, "It's all about the players. I learned a lot from Bill. I honestly did X's and O's, structuring practices and stuff like that, but it's a different time and era, and hopefully, we can have that same success."

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Belichick departed from the team after a mutual decision with owner Robert Kraft . New England had struggled in recent seasons, posting losing records in three of the four years following the departure of six-time Super Bowl -winning quarterback Tom Brady. Kraft wanted the team to regain its competitive edge, opting for a younger coach to lead a new generation of players.

Belichick coached Mayo from 2008 to 2015, and he played all eight of his NFL seasons with New England. Mayo was a standout linebacker drafted by the Patriots in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

Under Belichick's defensive schemes, he won a Super Bowl during the 2014-15 season and earned two Pro Bowl selections. Known for his value-based approach, Belichick preferred drafting and developing players rather than signing expensive free agents.

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This strategy often led to notable players leaving the team once they became costly. Examples include Jamie Collins, Logan Ryan, Danny Amendola, and Kyle Van Noy. Malcolm Butler, who made a game-winning play in Super Bowl XLIX, also left the team as a free agent after being benched by Belichick in the following Super Bowl, which the Patriots lost 41-33.

Despite his rigid stance on team management, Belichick highly regarded Mayo as nearly untouchable regarding trade value. In a 2018 interview with the Boston Herald, Belichick discussed his free agency philosophy, emphasizing Mayo’s importance to the team as the linchpin of his defensive tactics.

As Mayo steps into his head coach role, he brings the knowledge and experience gained under Belichick. However, he had previously noted the key differences between his coaching philosophy and the coaching legend. "One thing I've noticed over the past, let's say five years, is a lot of times when guys get a break they just go to their locker and get on their phone," he said. "They're scrolling through social media and there's really no interaction. That is also a time where they build camaraderie."