Doesn't Sound Like Bill Belichick Congratulated Jerod Mayo When He Landed Patriots Gig

The New England Patriots finally moved on from head coach Bill Belichick after 24 seasons and six Super Bowl victories. But they didn't completely change the old guard, electing to hire Jerod Mayo as their next head coach.

Mayo played 8 seasons for the Patriots, all under Belichick, from 2008-15. Immediately upon his retirement, Belichick hired Mayo to coach the team's linebackers. Mayo held that position from 2019-2023 until the team elevated him to head coach this past off-season. 

Things obviously ended very unceremoniously for Belichick, who has expressed a desire to continue coaching in the NFL. Perhaps that's why Mayo made it sound like Belichick wasn't eager to dish out congratulations to Mayo for taking his job. 

New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo told Kay Adams that he and Bill Belichick "haven't had a lot of communication" since Mayo took over.

(Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

"Up & Adams" host Kay Adams asked Mayo on Monday if Belichick had reached out to him since he took the gig. 

"Um, so that's a tough question," Mayo responded with slight hesitation. 

Well, it's not a tough question. It's a "yes" or it's a "no." The fact that Mayo couched it as being a tough question makes it pretty clear what the answer is. 

Mayo seemingly wanted to be very diplomatic in his answer without being dishonest. Kudos to him for using some tact. 

"We haven't had a lot of communication since [I took the job]," Mayo continued. "Honestly, for me, my focus is the players. It's all about the players. 

"I learned a lot from Bill... but it's a different time, it's a different era, and hopefully we can have that same success."

It's not like it's incumbent upon Bill Belichick to reach out to his successor, but you'd think he would have at least offered congratulations to a guy that he drafted in the first round, coached for eight years and employed for five more. 

Apparently not, though.