Raiders Request Interviews with Patriots’ Mayo, Ziegler

The Raiders appear poised to dip into the proverbial New England well for their front office and coaching searches.

Despite a disappointing finish to the 2021, the success of the New England Patriots continues to be coveted throughout the NFL.

Next up on the list of teams to invite Patriots’ coaches aboard the coaching carousel? The Las Vegas Raiders.

As first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Raiders have requested interviews with inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo and director of player personnel Dave Ziegler.

Las Vegas is in the midst of an apparent changing of the guard, following a 10-7 finish to the 2021 NFL season. The Silver and Black qualified for the playoffs, but dropped their Wild Card round matchup to the Cincinnati Bengals 26-19 on Saturday. On Monday, the team decided to part ways with general manager Mike Mayock, after three years at the helm. A decision on interim head coach Rich Bisaccia has yet to be made.

Still, the Raiders appear poised to dip into the proverbial New England well for their front office and coaching searches. The request from the Raiders is the second Mayo has received during this cycle. He is already scheduled to interview with the Denver Broncos later this week.

Should Mayo depart New England for a head coaching position, the Patriots will receive two third-round draft picks as compensation, per a recent addition to the NFL’s “Rooney Rule,” which is designed to help minority coaches receive greater coaching opportunities.

For the past three seasons, Mayo has served as the Patriots’ inside linebackers coach. Despite having yet to hold a head coaching position, the Patriots’ former first-round draft choice appeared in 111 combined regular season and playoff games between 2008 and 2015. Mayo has been widely praised for his ability to connect with his players and teach them the fundamentals required for success in the NFL. As a result, he remains one of the hottest coaching candidates on the circuit.

Ziegler is quickly ascending the list of rising stars among NFL executives. Since first arriving in New England in 2012, he spent three years as assistant director of pro scouting, four as director of pro personnel, and was promoted to assistant director of player personnel under Nick Caserio in 2020.

When Caserio joined the Houston Texans, Ziegler entered the line of sight of the Denver Broncos. The team expressed interest in his services to fill their then-vacant general manager position. To keep him in the Foxboro fold, the Patriots promoted Ziegler to his current role as director of player personnel. He is currently serving as New England’s de facto general manager. Ziegler was reportedly heavily involved in both the scouting and selection process in the 2021 NFL Draft. Quarterback Mac Jones, defensive tackle Christian Barmore and running back Rhamondre Stevenson are expected to be integral components of the Patriots’ franchise for many years to come.