New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo has a nickname for owner Robert Kraft. He called Kraft “Thunder,” which was short for “Young Thundercat” throughout his introductory press conference.
Now, he’s explaining the meaning behind the nickname.
“So, you know, Young Thunder would wear the sneakers with the suits and stuff like that,” Mayo said, when appearing on “The Greg Hill Show”. “And I always thought it was funny, and I was like, ‘You have a young soul.’ And then one day, he sat me down and he said, ‘Do you know the reason why I wear these sneakers?’ And I was like, ‘No.’ And he was like, ‘So I can relate to the younger generation.’
“And I thought that was special. You know, it’s easier to walk up to a guy with a suit and tie and sneakers on than it is a guy with some penny loafers on, whatever, some church shoes. Some Air Force 1s — it’s like a conversation starter.”
Mayo looks to usher in a new era of Patriots football and already seems to be developing a strong rapport with Kraft as a coach. He already has a head start from his playing days, when he was a perennial captain on the Patriots football team.
The former linebackers coach now looks to spearhead a rebuild for the team that drafted him.
Mayo’s openness with the media is something that undoubtedly sets him apart from his predecessor, Bill Belichick. It’ll be a tough road ahead, but the confidence and willingness to put in the work is certainly there for both Mayo and Kraft.
