It remains to be seen if Josh Uche will be a member of the New England Patriots in 2024. Heading into unrestricted free agency, there’s no guarantee the edge rusher will return to the team that drafted him in the second round four years ago. But when he returns, he will be able to see firsthand how his former coach’s position is at the head of the entire organization.
Jerod Mayo, who has coached New England’s linebackers for the past five years, has been promoted to New England’s head coach. Because of the departure of Bill Belichick earlier this month. As for Uche, there’s no question the Patriots made the right move in selecting Mayo to replace Belichick. “I think Jerod Mayo is a great addition,” he said recently on the Patriots Talk podcast.“When I first got here, Jerod was my coach.
I was still young and had to grow up. He was very patient with me and the lens through which he saw the game was a very creative lens and gave the players a lot of flexibility to maximize their talents. So I think Coach Mayo was a really good help.
When Uche joined the Patriots in 2020, Mayo was in his second year as an NFL assistant coach. Four years later, he was moved from coach to head coach without ever officially assuming a significant role in the organizational structure. This is not unusual, but it is an unusual path. Despite his relative inexperience, Uche is confident Mayo has what it takes to succeed as New England’s HC. One of the reasons is because of his former playing career.
Mayo was a first-round pick by the Patriots in 2008 and appeared in a total of 111 regular season and playoff games over eight seasons. This, Uche believes, ultimately gives him a unique perspective on leadership and player development. “He’s a great teacher.” said the young defender. “They give us a canvas to paint on, and when we paint on a canvas, that’s the picture we want to paint. There are some things you can’t see from the player’s perspective.
“Because he’s a former player, he can give us more information and little stories that slow the game down even more.”For Uche, Mayo’s teaching and communication skills aren’t the only thing that stands out. He also brings an infectious energy to the operation. “The way he coached Mayo, he played with love, passion and joy.” Uche explained. “As we saw last year, it can be difficult at times.
But even though it’s tough, there’s an energy that permeates the whole building and when you walk into the building, there’s an energy that brings guys out and doesn’t fall into the trap of not feeling sorry for yourself. “I will always make sure my children are happy and happy,” he said.Mayo was introduced as the Patriots’ 15th head coach last week and noted that he and the team are still in the evaluation phase. Uche’s future also seems to fall under this umbrella.