On the morning of January 12, Mack Wilson was too nervous to look at his phone. 

This was just a day after Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots had mutually agreed to part ways after 24 seasons. And Wilson knew who he wanted to get the opening, but was afraid it wouldn't go that way. 

So he tried to stay away from his phone for as long as he could.

"I was having bad anxiety. I was nervous to check my phone because I know that the day before, I kind of heard a little news that it could possibly be happening or whatnot any day now," Wilson told A to Z Sports exclusively. "I didn't know it was going to be (Jerod) Mayo, but that morning that he got announced the head coach, I woke up and like I had anxiety. I was nervous to check my phone."

Instead, the linebacker tried to busy himself, cleaning up around the house. Basically, he was doing anything to just keep his mind off of it. 

However, he eventually went outside to sit on his patio and finally picked up his phone. 

"I got a message from somebody screenshotting me saying that Mayo was the next head coach for the Pats," Wilson remembered. "I went and woke my fiancé up and told her everything. It was pretty dope for me."

"And obviously nobody's seen it coming, nobody really knew what was gonna happen. We all was rooting for Mayo to get it, but for him to get it, that was super dope."

And once he got over the initial shock, some of the first people he reached out to were other players who knew just how great of a coach Mayo is. 

"I texted my linebacker group in a group chat and we was just like really happy. We was pumped, we was excited, obviously for our position coach most importantly," he said. "We kind of felt that it was time, at least we kind of felt that he was going to get another job, whether it was a defensive coordinator job elsewhere or head coaching job."

So once this season ended, Wilson along with the other linebackers on the team all had the same idea: "We kind of had a feeling that this was Mayo's moment."

A week after the news was reported, Mayo arrived at Gillette Stadium for his introductory press conference. And while Wilson couldn't be there in person, he made sure that he was able to watch. 

Despite being at the airport, he made sure to catch every single second. 

Wilson went on to talk about the impactful message that Mayo sent, noting that he didn't talk about football. Instead he put the focus on the culture he is looking to build. 

“I know a lot of people saying he wasn’t talking much about football because he knows he knows football to the point where it’s like he wants to let it be known to the world that this is not his calling. This is not what he was put on this earth to do, just to coach football," Wilson explained. "Like he said, his calling is to create great men and women. So I feel like that’s something that he really takes pride in because of how he carries himself through the building and how he carried himself each and every day."

Yet, he also isn't afraid to say what's on his mind and call the players out. That's what makes a good coach, and Wilson definitely agrees. 

“What I feel like people could take from that honestly is just what you see is what you get when it comes to Mayo. Honestly, he’s raw and uncut. He’s gonna be straight up. He’s gonna be honest. He’s gonna be upfront. He’s a player-driven coach," he said. "He’s always the same person each and every day, but honestly it’s crazy. That’s why I feel like all of us was just super excited for him to get the head coaching job.”

Looking on the Bright Side

Wilson was traded to the Patriots prior to the 2022 season, and has since spent two seasons working with Mayo. From the moment he met the new head coach, he knew he was a natural leader.

"He really didn't talk too much ball with me. He was just really talking about me as a man, he's talking about life situations, life stuff, business situations," Wilson said about his dinner with Mayo at Davio's right after being traded. "So at that moment, I knew that this dude was all for his players and all about building relationships. So that's the main thing when you meet Mayo, like that's the energy that he brings off to you."

And along with getting to be coached by Mayo, Wilson also got to learn from one of the best defensive minds in the game. He continues to speak very highly of Belichick, and despite all the speculation and rumors throughout the season, the players never saw the eventual break up happening. 

“Honestly, we didn’t know as players. I feel like we was just taking it one day at a time, trying to put our best foot forward. And we honestly didn’t know if Bill was gonna be the head coach, if they was gonna move on from Bill, if Mayo was gonna get the head coach – we didn’t know nothing. Obviously until we heard that RKK and Bill was gonna have the little thing together and whatnot and to discuss the future,” Wilson explained. “I didn’t even get that feeling. We definitely didn’t see it coming like that for real. Honestly, we didn’t think it was gonna happen."

Yet, while the team was losing a coach who had been there for 24 years and led the team to six Super Bowl championships, they were also ushering in a new era. And one that has been needed for some time. 

Plus with Mayo, they were getting a leader who knew how to lead, but also completely understood what it's like to be out there. 

“He’s willing to help you. He’s willing to go that extra mile. He’s willing to listen. He’s willing to help in any way possible. He’s just an easy coach to kind of get your understanding. I don’t know if that’s because he recently just retired, what, eight to 10 years ago or whatnot, but he understands as well and it’s just easy to communicate with him, but he understands us well and it’s just easy to communicate with him. I mean the work he’s put in over the last few years speaks for itself. I honestly feel like that’s why Mr. Kraft gave him the opportunity.”

Upcoming Free Agency Decision 

During the season, Wilson spoke exclusively with A to Z Sports, stating that his decision in free agency was going to rely heavily on what happened with Mayo. 

As he said, a lot of the players expected Mayo to leave if he didn't get a promotion within the organization. And that was going to impact whether he was going to come back or not.

But now that it's official that Mayo is here to stay, Wilson still says that he wants to come back. 

However, it's not so cut and dry.  

“Obviously he’s my position coach the last two years and stuff, but also I’m going to test the market, see what’s out there, and thinks like that. And try my best to make the best decision for me and my family," Wilson said. "Obviously Mayo’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever had in my life. I would love to continue to play for him, to get that experience, to be a part of that new era, to be a part of that cultural change and things like that. But when it’s all said and done, when that time comes, I’m gonna make the best decision I feel that’s right for my family and stuff like that.”

But Wilson didn't hesitate when asked if he thinks the new head coach has the skills to get the Patriots back on top. 

“Oh yeah, no doubt. I feel like that may be the new wave now with the younger coaches and things like that," he said. Obviously you can see the team, the players feed off the energy from their young coach because they bring that juice as well.