Matthew Judon: Patriots finding 'new energy and new life' under head coach Jerod Mayo

After decades under Bill Belichick, Matthew Judon is embracing the new ideas that coach Jerod Mayo brings to the organization.

Judon said Wednesday on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football that while he respects Belichick, Mayo has rejuvenated the building.

“Belichick was a great coach,” Judon said. “I looked up to him. 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. Sometimes it’s just time, and I think it was just one of those times.”

Judon spent his first five seasons in Baltimore before signing with New England in 2021, where he played three seasons under Belichick. For the 31-year-old, Mayo’s unique ability to mesh the old “Patriot Way” ideals with a new approach is the best of both worlds for the Pats.

“I think with the hire of Mayo, and bringing in somebody that’s been actually there for those years, that kind of 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,” he said. “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 just 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.”

The new energy will soon come with new teammates as the Patriots look to overhaul a roster with many glaring holes this offseason.