In a surprising turn of events, the New England Patriots have named Jerod Mayo as their 15th head coach, making him the youngest head coach in NFL history. The announcement was made on Friday afternoon, marking a new era for the team.

Mayo, who played linebacker for the Patriots from 2008 to 2015, transitioned into coaching in 2019. His impressive playing career, which included 803 tackles and 11 sacks, undoubtedly influenced the team's decision to promote him to the top coaching position.

The news of Mayo's promotion comes just one day after owner Robert Kraft and former coach Bill Belichick mutually agreed to part ways. Although the Patriots' recent season ended with a 4-13 record, their defense remained highly ranked despite key injuries to top players like linebacker Matt Judon and rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

It is worth noting that Mayo's contract was renewed with the Patriots last year after he had interviewed for various head coaching positions with other teams. SportsCenter 5 reports that a succession agreement, included in Mayo's contract, allowed the Patriots to bypass the NFL's Rooney Rule and directly promote him to the head coach position.

This appointment solves the Patriots' head coaching question, but the team still needs to fill the general manager role left vacant by Belichick. The team has scheduled a press conference for Wednesday where Mayo will be formally introduced in his new role.

With his deep understanding of the Patriots' culture and his experience as a player and coach, Jerod Mayo seems poised to lead the team into a successful new era. The Patriots' faithful will be eager to see what this young, talented head coach brings to the table as he takes on the ultimate challenge of leading one of the league's most iconic franchises.