A day after saying goodbye to coach Bill Belichick after 24 seasons, the New England Patriots have his successor. They had him all along.

The Patriots are moving linebackers coach Jerod Mayo into their head-coach spot, according to multiple media outlets, including ESPN and the Boston Globe, on Friday. And it’s not a surprise. NFL Network reported when New England kept Mayo with a new contract last year, it was with the understanding he would follow Belichick as the Patriots coach.

Mayo came to New England in 2008, when the Patriots picked him from Tennessee at No. 10 in the NFL Draft.

Mayo played for eight seasons. He won the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and was a first-team All-Pro choice in 2010 and a Pro Bowl selection in 2010 and 2012. New England reached at least the AFC Championship Game in each of Mayo’s final five seasons and won Super Bowl XLIX to cap the 2014 campaign.

Mayo has been on the Patriots’ defensive coaching staff for the past five seasons.

At 37, Mayo becomes the NFL’s youngest head coach.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.