Next New England Patriots NFL coach odds: Bill Belichick reportedly out after season; Jerod Mayo, Mike Vrabel frontrunners to replace Hall of Famer in 2024
Bill Belichick reportedly will not be the Patriots' coach next season.
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While the New England Patriots are fresh off a rather unlikely Week 14 win in Pittsburgh, the fate of future Hall of Fame coach Bill Belichick has reportedly already been sealed, with owner Robert Kraft apparently having decided to make a change following his team's embarrassing Week 10 loss to Indianapolis in London to drop the club to 2-8. The Patriots are now 3-10 and eliminated from playoff contention. Kraft reportedly intends to let Belichick finish the season out before replacing him. SportsLine offers odds on the next Patriots coach.
Kraft most likely would have to hire a general manager first, as Belichick has been doing double duty for many years; he may not hold the official title of GM but has final say in all personnel moves and has since winning the third of his six Super Bowl rings. While Belichick's defense has continued to play at a high level, the offense is inept and former first-round quarterback Mac Jones might not be in New England much longer.
There's almost no doubt that the Pats would take a quarterback with their first-round pick in the 2024 draft, which currently sits at No. 2 overall and could mean a chance at North Carolina's Drake Maye if the Bears decide to take USC's Caleb Williams at No. 1. Many mock drafts have the Bears keeping QB Justin Fields and trading back one spot to No. 2 with New England for a haul of picks. A CBS Sports mock draft has exactly that happening, with Chicago taking Ohio State All-American receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. at No. 2 and the Patriots getting Williams.
Normally, when a team builds around a rookie quarterback it means it will hire an offensive-minded head coach, but the Patriots often swim against the current. Kraft could keep things relatively stable by promoting former New England linebacker and current linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, who has been a defensive play-caller for the last handful of years and has long been pegged as a potential successor to Belichick. Kraft himself said this past offseason that Mayo is "definitely a strong candidate to be the heir apparent."
If the Patriots don't hire Mayo, someone else likely will – especially after the success in Houston of another first-time NFL head coach and former linebacker in DeMeco Ryans. Mayo passed on all head coaching interviews last offseason, which seems a pretty big hint that he has been told something.
Tennessee's Mike Vrabel is widely considered a top-five coach in the league and he vastly outcoached Miami's Mike McDaniel in Monday's big upset, but it might be time for a fresh start for the Titans as they rebuild with a new GM in the fold. Vrabel played linebacker for New England from 2001-08 and won three Super Bowl rings.
Washington offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has long been pegged as a head coaching candidate, and he has helped turn Sam Howell into a legitimate NFL starting quarterback. The Chiefs offense has notably slipped since Bieniemy's departure.
The New England fan base might revolt if offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien was promoted to head coach, but he had very little to work with this season and has a proven track record of success in college and the NFL. Just don't let him near the GM's chair.
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh will likely gets calls from at least five teams this offseason, but why would he want to follow a legend? That's a no-win situation, and the Pats obviously have major issues under center. Josh McDaniels has flopped twice as a head coach, but was long considered Belichick's eventual replacement as the Patriots' long-time offensive coordinator before Mayo's ascension.
New England is a 9.5-point home underdog this Sunday against Kansas City.
Via SportsLine oddsmakers: Who will be the Patriots' head coach for Week 1 of the 2024 season if not Bill Belichick?
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