Jerod Mayo has delivered one of the most intriguing coaching hires of the 2024 NFL offseason.
Mayo hired former Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt on Thursday to become the New England Patriots’ offensive coordinator. In the process, the rookie head coach immediately addressed the unit that has witnessed its most significant struggles over the past two seasons. Van Pelt’s hire was met with widespread acclaim.
Jerod Mayo ‘Fills a Big Spot’
Multiple reports broke that Mayo tabbed Van Pelt as his coordinator before 5:30 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, Feb. 1. Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network praised the move.
“A former NFL quarterback and longtime respected assistant, Van Pelt spent the past four seasons as the Browns’ OC. Now he fills a big spot on Jerod Mayo’s staff in New England,” Pelissero posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Van Pelt most recently, and miraculously, found a way to keep the Browns’ offense afloat amid their constant pileup of injuries at quarterback. Cleveland was the only NFL team that cycled through not one but five different starting passers.
The Browns’ season began with Deshaun Watson. Rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker were somewhere in the middle. Even Jeff Driskel found some playing time in Week 18. It finally ended with Joe Flacco finishing the job and taking Cleveland to the postseason. And through it all, Van Pelt was calling the offense.
Cleveland still finished 16th in passing touchdowns, 12th in rushing yards, 16th in total offensive yards, and lastly, produced the league’s 10th-best scoring offense.
Other Fans Sound Off on Van Pelt Hire
Van Pelt will be tasked with fixing an offense that became disorganized in the post-Tom Brady/Josh McDaniels era in New England.
Former head coach Bill Belichick briefly handed the offensive reins to longtime defensive mind Matt Patricia in the 2022 season. Then, in 2023, Belichick re-hired former assistant Bill O’Brien to take over the offense. The Patriots fielded one of the NFL’s worst offenses — falling to 31st in scoring and 30th in total yards.
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The Van Pelt move, though, has some fans intrigued.
“That’s a good hire. Pats actually building a strong staff,” one fan said on X.
Elsewhere, sports anchor Dan Roche of WBZ TV — the CBS Boston affiliate — took a liking to the hire Mayo made.
“Good to see that Mayo is getting an experienced OC to run the offense. Needed with possible third pick coming in and possible free agents too,” Roche posted.
Lastly, Pats insider Tom E. Curran is another who “feels better” about who the Pats are bringing into their facility.
“I feel better about it,” Curran said on NBC Sports Boston. “He came up with the Gary Kubiak offense [the Super Bowl-winning head coach of the 2015 Denver Broncos and Ex-Houston Texans HC]. That is an option of the West Coast offense because Kubiak was with Mike Shanahan with Denver.”
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With that aspect, it means Van Pelt will be luring in an attack that’s similar to what Kyle Shanahan now runs for the NFC-champion San Francisco 49ers.
“It helps so much to have someone who can say, ‘Jerod, I got the offense,'” Curran said.
Lastly, Sports Illustrated NFL insider Albert Breer raved about the first prominent hire the Mayo regime has made.
“Alex Van Pelt makes sense because he has been a play caller before, and he can be a resource to your new head coach,” Breer began.
“And I think there’s another element to this that’s really important too, and I don’t think this should be lost in the whole thing too: When we talked to people in Cleveland, they feel Kevin Stefanski wasn’t the one who fired Van Pelt [Breer mentioned the front office made the choice].
“The Browns staff was shocked and a little worried right now. The reason why is because Van Pelt was the glue guy on that staff. He was the guy who was outgoing and brought people together. He was the person who unified everybody,” Breer continued.
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