On Monday’s edition of Zolak & Bertrand, Scott Zolak dove into what he’s hearing about the Patriots coaching staff.

• Jerod Mayo to be named Assistant Head Coach

  Marc Bertrand: Question now, Zo, is what’s his (Jerod Mayo) title going to be? Will it involve a title change or not?

  Scott Zolak: Yes.

  Marc Bertrand: And he will be what?

  Scott Zolak: To what I said Wednesday, assistant head coach. I think he’ll be named assistant head coach. Dante Scarnecchia was assistant head coach, I think, up until 2013. When Dante first stepped away from the game, then he didn’t get the title again. But for a long stretch there, I think for over ten years he was assistant head coach. So Bill’s given the title before.

  Marc Bertrand: And what does that involve beyond what he would be doing already, like for Dante Scarnecchia, what was he doing beyond coaching offensive line when he was doing that and also assistant head coach?

  Scott Zolak: You probably have to meet with Bill. You have to talk about all three different units, offense, defense, special team, just in the case of an emergency, because then you become the guy. Here’s the way I like to see things run. Give you a little peek into what we’re doing here, maybe bring you into some personnel meetings, I don’t know. But I don’t think it’s just the title. I think you actually got to put more in charge, you know, as far as you got to see the way you’re going to run all three groups here just in case something would happen to me. You’re the next guy. You’re my hand-picked next guy in charge. That’s the way this thing’s going to go. So I just think that, you know, Mayo has been around the team, they all know him. Whatever you think about him as a leader of men, yeah we all know that stuff. He’s got a great football mind. And I think that’s a guy that, you know, you’ve helped work in the business world when he retired. That the head coach here talked him into coming in and being a coach. He got bit by it. He likes it. He wants to be a head coach. I think this is keeping him around to be the next guy when Bill is done. I think that’s where this is headed. Read the room. Not saying I know anything or anything, but I just think it’s a natural progression. And I think you’ve obviously made him enough of an offer with a wink without putting on paper, you’re the next guy. But I think ownership has made it quite clear how they view him. You know, and how highly they hold him with regard. That’s a big statement coming from them because they’ve been around it for a long time. There’s not a lot of up and downs here. I mean, it’s it’s been a steady Eddie ship.

• 

  Aug 29, 2019; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo watches the action during the second half against the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

• Matt Patricia moving back upstairs

  Marc Bertrand: What’s Matt Patricia doing? What’s Joe Judge doing?

  Scott Zolak: I think Matt’s going to be moving upstairs.

  Marc Bertrand: Okay, so we’ve got we’re hearing some things there.

  Scott Zolak: Sort of back to the same role he was in and still have, you know, the main ear of the coach.

  Marc Bertrand: So non-offensive line?

  Scott Zolak: I’m not hearing that.

• 

  LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 18: Senior football advisor and offensive line coach Matt Patricia (L) and head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots walk onto the field for a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the Patriots 30-24. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

• Joe Judge back to special teams

  Marc Bertrand: How about Joe Judge? Where’s he go? He’s not going upstairs.

  Scott Zolak: Special teams. See Cam Achord had an assistant special teams coach. So you just bump all those guys down.

  Marc Bertrand: He’s going to be the assistant to…

  Scott Zolak: I think Cam Achord is going to stay and be the assistant to Joe.

  Marc Bertrand: Oh, well, that’s different. That’s a reversal.

  Scott Zolak: Right.

  Marc Bertrand: So Joe will be special teams again. I think they are.

• 

  CLEVELAND, OHIO – OCTOBER 16: Bailey Zappe #4 of the New England Patriots talks with quarterbacks coach Joe Judge against the Cleveland Browns during the second quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 16, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

• Nick Caley is gone

  Scott Zolak: I think Nick Caley is gone. Yeah, I think Nick Caley needs to go to help him, too. And so you gotta look for a tight ends coach and you probably need some help to give Billy Yates some help with the offensive line. Unless they put Matt (Patricia) upstairs, but also say, you know, you’re going to help the line. You could still do that. Matt’s at practice regardless whether he’s upstairs or down, if he’s sitting there talking to Billy and the line, what’s the big effing deal. He’s not calling the plays.

• 

  Dec 16, 2018; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; New England Patriots tight ends coach Nick Caley (center) reacts on the sidelines against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 17-10. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

• Listen to the full conversation

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