Robert Kraft revealed that he started planning for Jerod Mayo to be Bill Belichick's successor a lot earlier than we all thought.

Mayo was drafted by the Patriots in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft and has spent his entire playing career in Foxborough up until his retirement following the 2015 season. He then joined New England's coaching staff as the inside linebacker coach in 2019, so he has been around the organization and Kraft for nearly two decades.

The Patriots entered 2024 with new leadership for the first time in more than two decades. Here's a look at why they parted ways with the legendary Bill Belichick.