Under Jerod Mayo, the New England Patriots want to take a new path. The new head coach puts it diplomatically

Whoever thought that Jerod Mayo would continue the previous “Patriot Way” is mistaken.

The new head coach of the New England Patriots wants to introduce a new spirit to the team after the Bill Belichick era.

He put it very diplomatically this week. Belichick was his coach when he played linebacker for the Patriots from 2008 to 2015. Mayo also worked as a coach under Belichick with the Pats.

But reading between the lines, it’s clear that the previous “do your job” system is likely to change after 24 years under Belichick.

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“It’s going to be different, but at the same time I would say Bill has done a great job over a long period of time,” Mayo said. “I don’t want you (the media, ed.) to take this as if we’re changing and there are shots at the previous leadership.”

Not shots, but criticism nonetheless. If nothing else, the NFL players’ union survey indicates that the feel-good factor was off for the Patriots. For example, the treatment of the players’ families was also assessed.

The so-called “Treatment of Families” includes things like day care for children or accommodation for the family on a road trip. The Patriots received the worst marks in this area. The facility did not come off well either. Incidentally, Belichick received a B-, which ranked him 27th in the league. A+ was the best grade, D the worst.

Mayo reiterated that they will do it differently and it will feel different, saying, “But at the end of the day, we want to replicate the success that the previous leadership had. I’ve learned a lot from Bill and also from his team. Now we’ll see what this chapter in the franchise looks like.”

Because there’s more than one way to do it, he said, “It worked for Coach. We’ll see what works for Eliot (Wolf, Director of Scouting, ed.) and me. “