The Pittsburgh Steelers don’t appear interested in parting ways with head coach Mike Tomlin, but with criticism pelted at the team’s staff, perhaps adding a veteran voice with experience is the way to go this offseason.
With Aaron Curry not returning as linebackers coach next season, the door is open to consider the ex-veteran path in search of a replacement, and one candidate that fits the profile is former New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo.
“Mayo has never played or coached anywhere else. He’s always been a Patriot,” Ray Fittipaldo of the Post-Gazette said on the “North Shore Drive” podcast. “Obviously, he’ll be looking for a job. I like that idea. Bring somebody in who’s been a part of successful teams and see what he can add to your program. There’s a bunch of guys who are gonna be out there like him, but yeah, Mayo would be perfect because he played linebacker in the league.”
Mayo, 38, lasted just one (ugly) season as Bill Belichick’s replacement before the organization pulled the plug. New England finished dead last with its second consecutive 4-13 record, showing minimal improvement. Fans in Foxboro hurled “Fire Mayo” chants at the Super Bowl XLIX champion, and the ownership group lost its faith in Mayo moving forward — and hired Mike Vrabel to take over in January.
It was a rollercoaster first year at the helm, but as Patriots owner Robert Kraft expressed following the firing, a bright future in coaching is still in the cards for Mayo.
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“Look, it was one of the more difficult things I’ve had to do in my life because I had such affection for him, and I believe in him,” Kraft said on Jan. 6, per team-provided video. “I really do believe he will go on and as he gets more experience, he’ll be successful. It was not easy. He was a gentleman and accepted it that way.”
The Steelers, like Mayo, underwent a down-on-their-luck finish this past season, although Pittsburgh’s came in the playoffs. Tomlin’s Steelers lost their last five straight matchups, including their AFC wild-card battle against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens to bring the team to question. Maybe welcoming Mayo in open arms could provide the locker room with a fresh, new perspective to impact a turnaround next season.
Mayo spent five seasons (2019-23) contributing as an inside linebackers coach for the Patriots following his eight-year playing career with New England.
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Featured image via Bob DeChiara/Imagn Images