Chicago Bears

Why Jerod Mayo Should Be a ‘Hot Name' for NFL Head Coach Openings

Breer: Why Jerod Mayo should be a 'hot name' for coaching jobs originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Could the stars align for Jerod Mayo this offseason in the form of an NFL head coach job?

The former New England linebacker and current Patriots inside linebackers coach has expressed interest in becoming a head coach, and several openings are already available in Jacksonville, Las Vegas and Denver.

Mayo also is expected to be "in the mix" for the Chicago Bears job, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported recently. Joining NBC Sports Boston's "Patriots Pregame Live" on Sunday, Breer explained that Mayo's skill set as a former player and leader may help him earn looks from other teams, as well.

Curran: Arc of Jerod Mayo's coaching career is on the rise

"I think he's become a hot name over the last few weeks, and one of the reasons why is teams are looking at works in the NFL," Breer said. "... Look at the job that Mike Vrabel is doing in Tennessee, even though he went into that job only having four years of NFL head coaching experience. Dan Campbell was an assistant for longer than that, but I think people look at at how he's changed the culture in Detroit.

"... I think teams have looked at that and said, 'There are some former players out there we can look at as head coaching candidates,' and I think Jerod Mayo lands at the top of that list."

With just three years of experience as a position coach, Mayo doesn't have a robust resume. But as our Tom E. Curran wrote this weekend, Mayo's responsibilities in New England exceed his job title, and if teams are coveting leadership and establishing a strong culture, then the former Patriots captain should be an excellent candidate.

"Obviously he's had a lot of experience here in New England both coaching and playing, but on top of that, you've seen him in leadership positions as a player," Breer added. "That really helps. I think teams like Denver and Chicago that are going to cast a wide net are going to look at Mayo."

Breer added that Mayo's biggest challenge as a head coach might be assembling a staff given his lack of experience in the industry. Patriots Insider Phil Perry noted Mayo is confident he can put a staff together, though, so keep a close eye on the 35-year-old assistant as the coaching rumors pick up this month.

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