With the New England Patriots officially parting ways with legendary head coach Bill Belichick on Thursday, the search is on for his successor.

Over the last several months, former Patriots linebacker and current linebackers coach Jerod Mayo has been a prime candidate to be the next man up in New England. His odds may have gotten better with a new report that Mayo could get a quick elevation through a key detail in his contract.

If Mayo ultimately is the choice to lead the Patriots forward, New England gets a developed coach who played for the team with knowledge of the organization. The 37-year-old would be tasked with a team that has missed the postseason in three of the last four seasons. Could he get the Patriots back to the playoffs?

His former teammate believes he can.

Story continues below advertisement

Jamie Collins played three seasons with Mayo in New England and believes his former position mate can return the Patriots to postseason play.

“Playoff bound first year,” Collins shared on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Remember this tweet.”

    What do you think?  Leave a comment.

Mayo’s opportunity may finally be here after rising up the ranks of Belichick’s staff in recent years. If hired, Mayo’s former teammate has big expectations for his potential.

Story continues below advertisement

No Matchup Found

Click here to enter a different Sportradar ID.

As the Belichick era ends in Foxboro, all eyes await the next coach in line with plenty of work to do.

Featured image via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images