Patriots

“He has the respect of not only players, but his peers, and he played the game.”

If Robert Kraft does opt to move on from Bill Belichick this offseason, Patriots legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ty Law doesn’t think that the team needs to look very far for a successor on the sidelines.

Speaking on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Tuesday morning, Law said he believes former New England linebacker and current linebackers coach Jerod Mayo should be next in line to run things from the Patriots’ sideline. 

“He has the respect,” Law said about Mayo. “And you have to relate to — look at what [interim head coach] Antonio Pierce is doing with the Raiders. They rally around him. Look at how the [Patriots’] defense is playing. They’re down, they’re banged up, and (Mayo’s) got those boys playing.

“They’re being competitive even though they don’t have very many pieces. You have to give credit somewhere, and Jerod Mayo is that guy. He has the respect of not only players, but his peers, and he played the game.”

While Mayo has plenty of familiarity with the Patriots, the question has been raised as to just how much of a change a Mayo hiring would usher in — at least when it comes to the 37-year-old coach’s willingness to clear house in New England’s coaching staff.

But Law believes Mayo would have no qualms with potentially overhauling the personnel around him, even if it means moving on from a few familiar faces on Belichick’s staff.

“Let me tell you something: if Jerod Mayo was the head coach, he wouldn’t have a problem firing the whole damn staff,” Law said. “That’s who he is as a person. He’s gonna look at it from a business standpoint. It’s not gonna be about making friends or anything like that.

“Jerod Mayo is the type of guy — he was a businessman before he got into coaching. He made some good business moves out there. He was in that world. So, he’s gonna look at it from a strategic and a business standpoint. I don’t think just because he’s coached with you that he’s gonna be obligated to give you a job.”

Granted, Mayo’s business-first mindset has reportedly raised some questions about his viability as Belichick’s successor if New England does opt to change coaches.

On Tuesday, Mayo addressed a story from Boston Sports Journal that reported the linebackers coach “has rubbed at least some people the wrong way in the building since his extension” that he signed last winter. 

“When people talk about rubbing people the wrong way, sometimes that’s part of the job of being the leader, to rub people the wrong way,” said Mayo, who called the report “hurtful.” “I always try to be constructive and respectful in my feedback. Some people appreciate that transparency and some don’t. But at the end of the day, if we can’t rub people the wrong way, how do you expect to be the best that you can be?”

Hill asked Law if, given New England’s extensive woes on offense this season, the Patriots would be better served adding a coach with more experience on the offensive side of the ball.

“No, not necessarily,” Law said. “Because if you’ve got somebody that’s gonna lead in the right way and bring the right person in… Just because you have an offensive-minded coach, that doesn’t mean that your offense is gonna be that much better. The defense wins championships. I’ll say that all the time.

“Offense wins games, defense wins championships… I’m telling you, Jerod Mayo would be a great head coach, because there’s not one player that can look at him and question the validity of anything he says. That’s very important, when you’ve played the game.”