Matthew Judon Says Jerod Mayo's Bringing 'New Energy and Life' to the Patriots and They're Ready 'to Run Through a Wall' for Him

I've said before and it bears repeating that Matthew Judon has been hands-down the best player on the Patriots since they signed him in 2021. And prior to tearing his bicep last year, was well on his way to joining the ranks of great free agent signings Bill Belichick has ever made. Not yet to the level of the gold standards of Mike Vrabel, Rodney Harrison, Roosevelt Colvin, Darrelle Revis (for one year) and Stephon Gilmore, but poised to join their mighty company. 

And now, with Belichick famously gone, and us only in early March of his rehab offseason, the Judon signing is still paying dividends as he filled in for Jason McCourty on GMFB:

Boston.com - Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon still has a lot of respect for former coach Bill Belichick, but also admits that it was time for Belichick to move on after 24 seasons in New England. …

“Belichick was a great coach. I looked up to him,” Judon said. “I think he is one of the best to ever do it, at the clip that he did it and the high level IQ that he had, it was amazing to learn from him.” 

“But, I think with him leaving, it’s just new energy and new life in the building,” Judon added. “Sometimes it’s just time and I think it was just one of those times. …

“I think with the hire of Mayo, bringing in somebody that was actually there for those years, understands player perspective and coaching and also how coach Belichick actually ran the system. … I think bringing in somebody like that, instead of somebody that’s outside and didn’t know at all kind of helped us.

“It kind of helped us because Mayo saw it going one way and he’s trying to get it to go a different way. We’ve got new life, we’ve got new expectations and right now we’re all getting healthy and getting back right. I think when we start we’re all going to try to run through a wall for Mayo because he had our back in everything that we go through. We always would kind of go talk to him and he would understand.”

This is exactly what we need to hear right now. This is the perspective every Pats fan is looking for in a time of breathtaking uncertainty. 

A day doesn't go by without someone asking me how good a coach Jerod Mayo is going to be. And all I can do is that palms up, shrugged shoulders thing. By all accounts he's a great person. Has that human touch when dealing with others that's impossible to define, but you know it when you experience it. And he comes recommended by everyone.

In order:

• Belichick thought enough of him to draft him 10th overall
• His teammates thought enough of him to vote him captain every season
• Belichick thought enough of him to hire him out of civilian life and make him a coach
• NFL teams thought enough of him to ask permission to interview him
• The Krafts thought enough of him to make him Heir to the Throne a year ago

Now one of the few Pro Bowlers on his roster thinks enough of him to be talking about new life, and new energy, and boldly going through walls. Because Mayo has had their back. He can relate to them and they to him. That'll do for now. 

As a matter of fact, that's all anyone can ask for at this point. Other than the way Judon couched this, which I appreciate. He paid proper respect to the man who built this ship with his ferocious iron will, then brought Judon on board. This isn't speaking ill of the man after he's gone. On the contrary. This is acknowledging what Belichick did and suggesting that Mayo is going to bring continuity along with all that new life and energy, because he was brought up in this system. So hopefully - and I'm trying my damnedest to be hopeful - we get the best of both worlds. I'll take it. 

In other news, Judon presented a solid defense of Mac Jones. Reminding them how well he did when he fit Josh McDaniels system in his rookie season (including a 45-7 win over Cleveland), pointing out he's on his fourth OC, and saying he needs to find his confidence and stride the way Baker Mayfield did:

Then exploited the NFL's own airwaves to try and recruit Calvin Ridley and Josh Jacobs to New England. 

Which would've cost us a 1st round pick if Belichick was still here, but now you have to just appreciate the hustle. 

So Judon will run through a wall for Mayo. And once again I'll run through one for Judon.