Former Tennessee linebacker and current linebacker’s coach for the New England Patriots, Jerod Mayo, is a busy man right now. Not only is Mayo working to prepare the Patriots for another playoff run, but the former Vol is also now sifting through multiple head coaching opportunities in the NFL.
On Friday, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported that Mayo is a candidate that is reportedly being considered for the Chicago Bears’ job.
Then, on Monday, the Denver Broncos contacted the Patriots and requested to interview Mayo for their head coaching job.
According to Sports Line, Mayo has the ninth-best odds to take over in Chicago at +1500. Meanwhile, Sports Line does not currently have odds released for the Broncos’ job.
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Mayo, 35, is in his third season coaching the linebacker position in New England. However, his career with the Patriots didn’t start when he joined the staff three years ago. After being drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft from Tennessee, Mayo spent his entire eight-year playing career with the Patriots in New England. Mayo’s time as a player was spectacular as the Virginia native ended his career as a Super Bowl champion, two-time Pro Bowl selection, and one-time first-team All-Pro selection.
If Mayo does leave New England to take another job, it’ll be his first job in the NFL not with the Patriots since being drafted out of Tennessee.
While at Tennessee, Mayo was a terrific player in the mid-2000s for the Vols. Mayo was a first-team All-SEC selection in 2007, paving the way for him to be taken with the tenth pick in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Additionally, when Tennessee was looking to replace Jeremy Pruitt in 2020/2021, Mayo was a name that was even popping up on some analysts’ hot boards throughout the coaching search.
