Former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman had high praise for new Patriots coach Jerod Mayo in a conversation with Colin Cowherd, when appearing on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd”.
Mayo and Edelman overlapped as Patriots teammates from 2009-2015. They were able to compete for multiple championships and win Super Bowl XLIX together.
Now, both have hung up the cleats, and Mayo is about to embark on his first head coaching venture with the hope of reshaping the Patriots franchise, which hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2021.
Edelman spoke highly of Mayo’s leadership abilities and illustrated why the former linebacker might be the perfect candidate to get the Patriots organization back on track.
“Jerod was an instant, from the day I met him, a leader,” said Edelman. “Smartest guy on the defensive side of the ball. There was [Mike] Vrabel. I never played with Vrabel, that everyone said, ‘This guy’s a genius’. And then there was Mayo. X’s and O’s, the guy knew everything. He was always in the film room..
“I remember, when I had to go and play defense in 2011. I would know my assignment, but before every single play, Jerod would be dictating, talking to the defensive line and looking back over at the secondary, guys getting the check in call, getting the right play in call for the defense on that specific play. And I would look over and go, ‘Hey, Jerod. It’s Cover-5, I’ve got inside technique’. [And he would say], ‘Yeah, you’ve got inside technique’. So he’s coaching me up. I just needed his justification because if Jerod said it, you knew it was right. And that’s the kind of guy Jerod is.”
Julian Edelman discussing #Patriots HC Jerod Mayo:
“Jerod was an instant… a leader. Smartest guy on the defensive side of the ball… X's and O's, the guy knew everything… always in the film room… If Jerod said it you knew it was right…“
(🎥 @TheHerd) pic.twitter.com/yaEJiSZ1XK
— Carlos (@LosTalksPats) January 17, 2024
Mayo will have his hands full when attempting to turn things around for a Patriots team that finished 4-13 in 2023. Nevertheless, the strong endorsement from Edelman certainly carries weight to it.
