Jerod Mayo Is the Patriots De Facto Defensive Coordinator

Much was made about the Patriots DC spot this offseason. Gone are the days of Matt Patricia. Brian Flores came and went in the blink of an eye. Greg Schiano had the position for a little more than a full lunar cycle. So what was the team going to do this year? Well, it was widely believed that Bill would call the defense this year since that is where he used to cut his teeth in this league. Alas, a revelation came after the Patriots first preseason game against the Lions.

Anyone who saw Jerod Mayo on the sideline could easily presume he was in charge of playcalling duties. He had the play-sheet, the headset, the whole nine yards. What he didn’t have however was the official title of the DC. In typical Belichick fashion, The Hooded One wouldn’t confirm whether or not the former Patriots linebacker was, in fact, the play-caller. We did, however, get some confirmation elsewhere.

On Monday, safety Duron Harmon told WEEI that “Jerod, obviously, he’s been calling the plays for us”.

This could, however, all be a test for the first-year coach. There have been multiple reports since preseason week 1 that indicate that Belichick intends to take over playcalling once the season begins.

If it were indeed a test, I’d say Mayo passed with flying colors. The defense held the Lions to 93 total yards of offense and only 3 points. The defense was also able to rack up 9 sacks, a problem area for the defense at times last year.

Only time will tell if Mayo calls the plays for Bill’s defense this season, but if he does, he’ll be groomed to be the official defensive coordinator next year.

-Dillon Leary