Patriots' Mayo explains why he kept Belichick’s son on staff

New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo. Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Patriots HC Jerod Mayo explains why he kept Bill Belichick’s son on coaching staff

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 5/20/24

No one would have blamed Brian Belichick for finding a new job once his father and brother departed the New England Patriots coaching staff earlier this offseason.

Bill is taking the year off with an eye toward a possible return to coaching in 2025, while Steve took the defensive coordinator job at the University of Washington. But Brian stayed on to coach the Patriots safeties under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo — a move that the rookie HC implied was a no-brainer on his part.

“[He’s a] true professional,” Mayo told reporters. “Anytime you see your dad and your brother go somewhere else, the natural thing would be to go with them. But he is a New Englander. He is a Patriot. I am happy to have him. I know (defensive coordinator) DeMarcus (Covington) is happy to have him as well.”

Report: Brian Belichick staying on Patriots’ coaching staff

Devin McCourty reacts to Brian staying under Jerod Mayo, despite Bill Belichick's departure pic.twitter.com/RS6uYu7DqN
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) February 8, 2024

Brian has worked closely with Mayo over the years while he served as linebackers coach on Bill’s defensive staff, as well as Covington, who started as the Pats’ outside linebackers coach in 2019 before being promoted to defensive line coach in 2020 and ultimately defensive coordinator this year.

The youngest Belichick has coached the Patriots safeties since 2020, and he got his coaching start in New England as a scouting assistant in 2016 before being promoted to coaching assistant from 2017-19 and then safeties coach in 2020.

“I think he is a great coach, and I still think he has room to grow,” Mayo added. “He has really taken it by the horns and worked on his development. So, [I’m] excited to have him.”

Under Brian’s guidance, the Patriots safeties group has thrived. New England is the only team since 2020 with at least 70 interceptions, and it has surrendered the third-lowest passer rating against (83.2), the fifth-lowest yards per attempt (6.8) and the fifth-fewest touchdown passes allowed (90) over that span, per CBS Sports.

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