Mike Mayock has always had Bill Belichick’s admiration. They worked together when Mayock was a player and Belichick was a coach for the New York Giants. When Mayock entered the media as a draft analyst, Belichick appreciated Mayock’s work.
Belichick even joined Mayock on NFL Network and praised his coverage, including his big board. That relationship may have gotten a bit more complicated for the old friends, now that Mayock is the Oakland Raiders general manager.
“I was fortunate enough to play for coach Belichick for a couple of years, and he’s been great to me over the years,” Mayock said Wednesday during the 2019 NFL Combine. “I’m guessing that at this point, as good a relationship as we have, there probably won’t be quite the free exchange of information as in the past.”
It’s not just Belichick. Mayock explained that he’d developed countless relationships with players, scouts, coaches and general managers. The dynamic is shifting now that Mayock has gone from media member to competition.
“It’s a little bit different,” he said after chuckling. “It’s already changed. We kind of lie to each other a little bit instead of opening up to each other about our draft boards.”
