By Josh 
The Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff has faced plenty of criticism lately, but one area where they’ve consistently done well under Mike Tomlin is bringing in veteran voices, especially former head coaches. Now, there’s talk of another ex-head coach joining the team: Jerod Mayo.
Ray Fittipaldo from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette mentioned Mayo as a potential addition during a podcast on Feb. 3. Mayo, a former linebacker, was recently let go as the head coach of the New England Patriots after a tough 4-13 season. Fittipaldo thinks Mayo would be a perfect fit for the Steelers, noting his experience with successful teams and his background as a linebacker. Mayo has been with the Patriots since 2008, both as a player and coach, and Fittipaldo believes he could add real value to the Steelers’ program.
Mayo’s coaching journey began in 2019 when he started working with the Patriots’ linebackers. He took over as head coach in 2024, but after a disappointing season, the Patriots fired him and brought in Mike Vrabel. Despite his relatively short coaching career, Mayo has a solid reputation, and Tomlin has a history of hiring experienced ex-head coaches, like Arthur Smith, Todd Haley, and Mike Munchak, to assist him. In 2022, he even brought in former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores.
Mayo, who’ll turn 39 on Feb. 23, had a standout career as a linebacker, earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2008 and making the All-Pro team in 2010. After a series of injuries, he retired in 2015 but made the jump to coaching six years later. Even though his head coaching stint with the Patriots didn’t work out, Mayo shouldn’t be entirely blamed for that — Bill Belichick also struggled in 2023 with a similar 4-13 record.
The Steelers currently have an opening for a linebacker coach, following the departure of Aaron Curry to the New York Jets. Mayo could fill that spot, as he previously served as the Patriots’ inside linebackers coach from 2019 to 2021. If he’s interested in coming back to coach linebackers, it seems like the Steelers should seriously consider him.
Mayo also has a connection to Steelers linebacker Elandon Roberts, who played under him in New England back in 2019. Roberts, however, is an unrestricted free agent this offseason, so there’s no guarantee he’ll return to Pittsburgh, but Mayo could bring valuable insight into his game.