Patriots Owner Robert Kraft ‘Hopes’ Former Player Replaces Bill Belichick

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft won’t replace head coach Bill Belichick in the near future. However, Belichick will have to retire at some point. Who will step in as his replacement?

If you ask Kraft, he will stay that Jerod Mayo should be the next Patriots head coach.

“There’s no ceiling on his ability to be a head coach, and he’ll be a head coach,” Kraft told reporters at the owner’s meeting. “I’m sure of that. I hope he’s with us. So we’ll see what happens.”

Mayo sees a lot of attention this offseason. The Cleveland Browns wanted to turn him into their next defensive coordinator. The Carolina Panthers wanted him to become their new head coach. It seems like Mayo won’t leave New England in the near future.

Jerod Mayo is a great leader

Kraft and Belichick are thrilled to work with Mayo in 2023. He is a great leader and the Patriots like strong leaders.

“Jerod is an individual I think there’s no ceiling for his ability to grow and how competent he is,” Kraft told reporters. “We had the privilege of having him as a player, and I saw how intense he was and the leadership skills he had on the field. I saw him leave us and go into private industry and learn the X’s and O’s of business and then come back and be a coach and do that with us.

“Good coaches get hired away, so I was happy we were able to sit with him and try to keep him here long-term,” Kraft added. “I’m going to do everything I can to try to make that happen.”

Kraft won’t replace Belichick at this point

Mayo would be the No.1 option for the Patriots in the post-Belichick era. Kraft trusts Belichick and everything he has accomplished over the years. He trusts his potential to do the right thing for the team. Yes, Kraft wasn’t too happy about the fact that his team missed the big game in the last few seasons, but he trusts his head coach. Belichick is the best head coach in league history and Kraft respects him.

“Look, I think Bill is exceptional at what he does,” Kraft said. “And I’ve given him the freedom to make the choices and do the things that need to be done. And his football intellect and knowledge is unparalleled from what I’ve seen. Just, when you talk to him, the small things, analytically, that he looks at. But in the end, this is a business. You either execute and win or you don’t. That’s where we’re at. We’re in a transition phase. I think we’ve made some moves this year that I’m personally comfortable with. And I still believe in Bill.”