Patriots Promote Jerod Mayo to Head Coach Following Bill Belichick's Departure

Owner Robert Kraft Utilized a Rarely Used Aspect of the Rooney Rule to Fast-Track Mayo's Promotion Amid Team's Lackluster Performance

Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, leveraged a rarely used aspect of the Rooney Rule to promote Jerod Mayo to head coach within 25 hours of parting ways with Bill Belichick.
Mayo, who has only ever worked with the Patriots, was identified as a potential head coach by Kraft who feared losing him to another team.
Belichick's departure from the Patriots was described as a 'mutual parting', with Kraft stating that the team's performance over the last 3-4 years was not satisfactory.
Despite the Patriots' poor performance in recent years, Belichick is still considered one of the greatest coaches in NFL history and is expected to continue coaching elsewhere.
Kraft's decision to promote Mayo was part of a succession plan put in place last year, which was fast-tracked due to the team's lackluster performance this season.