Is Patriots' Mayo the favorite for Broncos HC job?

New England Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Is Patriots LBs coach Jerod Mayo the favorite for Broncos coaching job?

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 12/27/22

Jerod Mayo is just 11 months removed from interviewing for the Denver Broncos head coaching job before the team went with Nathaniel Hackett.

Now that the Broncos are in the market for Hackett’s replacement, Mayo could be in line to get a second shot.

“I think I’m ready to be a head coach in the league,” Mayo said Tuesday, via the Boston Herald. “But I have to say this, too: right now, my focus is on being here with the Patriots. But that’s definitely still the goal.”

Hackett was fired on Monday, just one day after Denver’s 51-14 blowout loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He had a 4-11 record in his first run as a head coach.

Under his guidance, the Broncos ranked 25th in total offense, last in scoring offense, fifth in total defense, and seventh in scoring defense.

"If it's not Denver, it'll be sometime very soon that Jerod Mayo is no longer in New England."

@PhilAPerry @_AndrewCallahan pic.twitter.com/kOV7UfuRr7
— NBC Sports Boston's Patriots Coverage (@NBCSPatriots) December 27, 2022

Mayo, who’s the first former player hired by Patriots head coach Bill Belichick without any previous coaching experience, is in the final year of his contract with the Patriots — making him a desirable potential candidate.

Considered by many a rising prospect among coaching circles, it seems it’s just a matter of time before someone takes a chance on the 36-year-old Mayo.

In addition to the Broncos, he also interviewed for head coaching jobs with the Raiders in January and the Philadelphia Eagles two seasons ago.

“One-hundred percent, he’ll be a head coach,” Broncos general manager George Paton told the Boston Herald last offseason. “He has a dynamic personality, really bright, really smart, knows what he wants. I think he’s only coached three years, but he really had an interesting, unique perspective about how he’d do things. I really enjoyed the visit.”

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