Former Tennessee and New England Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo has been fired as the head coach of the Patriots after only one season. The Patriots finished the year with a 4-13 record after winning the season finale led by another former Vol Joe Milton.
The gunslinger completed 22 of 29 passes for 241 passing yards and one touchdown. He also recorded a rushing touchdown. The performance was good enough for the win, which moved the Patriots out of the No. 1 pick slot for the 2025 NFL Draft.
The poor season record and win that moved the Pats out of the No. 1 pick seemed to be enough for ownership to move on from Mayo after only one season. The unceremonious exit now puts his future in the NFL in question, while Tennessee has an opening for him.
Tennessee currently has a defensive coordinator opening. Tim Banks' contract has not been renewed; other programs like Miami and Clemson have interviewed him for the same position. It's unclear whether he will come back, but Tennessee has to prepare to bring in another DC if he chooses to sign somewhere else instead of resigning from Tennessee.
That answer could be in Jerod Mayo. Will he be willing to take a college coordinator job rather than one in the league? It's unclear as of right now, but it could be the opportunity to return home and thrive in a system built for him.
The defense is in a good spot — probably better than the Patriots franchise going into the 2024 season. Mayo would have the opportunity to thrive at the college level and put together another elite defense on Rocky Top paired with Josh Heupel's explosive offense.
All of this hinges on whether Banks decides to return to Rocky Top. He could come back as the defensive coordinator, and the Vols wouldn't have to worry about hiring another DC for the 2025 season. Banks could also take too long and be forced to hire from within or go with a lower-level candidate.