Robert Kraft reveals why he chose Jerod Mayo as Patriots coach

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft explained why he chose Jerod Mayo to be the organization's head coach as the Patriots begin their new season on Sunday.

Mayo took over the head coaching position after five seasons as the inside linebackers coach in New England. He fully established himself as a member of the organization as a player and coach. That familiarity was a big reason Kraft decided to hire him for the job.

Familiarity could also affect the relationship between owner and coach. Mayo played his entire career with the Patriots from 2008 to 2015.

Kraft recently spoke with Karen Guregian of MassLive and discussed his thoughts on the recruiting process, transcribed by Adam London of NESN.com.

“I just thought that he (Mayo), Eliot (Wolf) and Matt Groh are all pretty inexperienced right now. They've all been here before,” Kraft told Guregian. “But the responsibility, at least for Eliot and especially for Jerod, is huge.”

“I always think about what is right for the long term. Our businesses are private. I don't have to send reports to Wall Street every 90 days. I do what is strategically right for the long term. And I think that's what I did with Jerod. I'm going to do what my gut tells me and stick with it until I'm convinced it's not right.”

This will be a season of development for the Patriots, who are currently regrouping, so Kraft hopes this move will pay off in the long run. He's going with his gut feeling on Mayo, and Patriots fans will have to trust his decision.