"People gravitate towards him": Patriots players eager to play for Jerod Mayo

FOXBORO -- Heading into his first season as an NFL head coach, Jerod Mayo has a ton of support inside the Patriots locker room. Players loved playing for him when he was the team's linebackers coach, and now they cannot wait to play for him as the man in charge. 

Several of Mayo's players were on hand Wednesday afternoon when Robert Kraft introduced him as the franchise's 15th head coach. That included cornerback Jonathan Jones, who actually flew himself in from Georgia for the special occasion.

"It was a good day. I had to come in and see it for myself, this historic day," Jones told WBZ-TV's Dan Roche. "I'm excited for the future."

Mayo has been a member of New England defensive staff the last five years, so players know what they're going to get out of him. A former player himself, Mayo can relate to players balancing their football life and their home life. Ja'Whaun Bentley, who has been a team captain the last three straight seasons, said there was too much to list when asked what he's learned under Mayo.

"Every day brings something different, whether it's in the room football-wise or life in general. You never leave empty handed when it comes to Coach Mayo," said Bentley.

"He's a leader," said Jones. "People gravitate towards him when he's in the building and that's what you want in a coach."

Jerod Mayo's collaborative approach

Mayo only played for one head coach in the NFL: Bill Belichick. And he only coached under one head coach in the NFL: Bill Belichick.

But Mayo said adamantly on Wednesday that he is "not trying to be Bill." And he will not be Bill Belichick.

Mayo not only pumped up the importance of job titles for those on his staff, but he's also going with a collaborative approach to everything. While that may be new for the coaching staff, it won't be new for the players who played for Mayo on the New England defense.

"That was always his approach. He would always say, 'This is you guys' defense -- I'll give you a canvas and you paint what you paint,'" said Jones. "He always gave us that leeway when it came to the defense to put our own stamp on it."

"That was the biggest part of our defense in general, us being able to communicate and understand each other," said Bentley. "We know the best ways to get our messages across, and you saw that on the field."

Devin McCourty thinks change will be good for the Patriots

Like Mayo, Devin McCourty only played for Bill Belichick. And he says there is no one better to learn from than Belichick. So while Mayo will bring his own touch to the job, there will still be some Belichickian elements remaining in New England.

But the message will be different, and the voice delivering that message will be much different. That change, in McCourty's opinion, will be good for everyone.

"Change can be good and in this situation, Jerod is going to bring change but also bring a foundation that still believes in the things that won this organization championships throughout of years," McCourty told WBZ-TV. "But it will be fresh for a number of people. Not just players but everyone in the building. I think it will give them a chance to start new and hopefully go out and win some football games."