Jerod Mayo Addresses Patriots' Shift Away From Bill Belichick

Speaking yesterday at the NFL Scouting Combine, New England Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf made several statements easily perceived as distancing the new regime from Bill Belichick's rule of nearly a quarter century. Although he has not been given a new title in wake of the offseason shake-ups in New England, Wolf has made it clear that he will be the front office's ultimate decision maker.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Jerod Mayo, Patriots head coach and former captain under Bill Belichick did come to his former coach's defense (somewhat).

"Bill (Belichick) did a great job for a long period of time. I don't want you guys to take this, just because we're changing, as shots toward the previous regime. In saying that, we will do it differently, and it'll feel different. And at the end of the day, we would like to replicate the success that the prior regime had. I learned a lot from Bill and also his staff. But now we’ll see what this chapter looks like in the franchise."

- Jerod Mayo

Mayo displayed a diplomatic ability of straddling the line between acknowledging that changes needed to be made to the team's culture, while also complimenting the Patriots' unprecedented 20-year run of success under Belichick.

The relative candidness from both Wolf and Mayo has been a breath of fresh air to New England fans. That in and of itself has been another shift away from Belichick.

Mayo continued on to emphasize that their can be an alternative path to success than the one that the Patriots "regime" has walked since the turn of century, while also highlighting himself and Wolf as the preeminent decision makers in the building.

"It’s been done a certain way at a high level for what, 20-plus years? But I would also say there’s more than one way to skin a cat. It worked for coach [Belichick]. We’ll see what works for Eliot and myself."

- Jerod Mayo

Only time will tell if Mayo and Wolf's new way of doing things will translate to wins on the football field, but from a fan's perspective, at least there is already far greater transparency from the organization.

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