Former HBCU star Pep Hamilton has been interviewed for the open New England Patriots job following the firing of Jerod Mayo.

Former Howard University quarterback and NFL assistant Pep Hamilton has been identified as one of the candidates interviewed for the New England Patriots’ head coaching vacancy.

The news comes shortly after the team parted ways with Jerod Mayo following a challenging 4-13 season.

Mayo served just one season as the Patriots head coach. Despite a promising start with a road victory in the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, the team’s performance faltered, culminating in a disappointing record.

“For me, personally, this was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made,” team owner Robert Kraft stated while announcing Mayo’s departure. “I have known Jerod for 17 years. He earned my respect and admiration as a rookie in 2008 and throughout his career for his play on the field, his leadership in the locker room and the way he conducted himself in our community. Unfortunately, the trajectory of our team’s performances throughout the season did not ascend as I had hoped.”

Hamilton, who starred for the Howard University Bison from 1993 to 1996, has carved out a remarkable career path both on and off the field. Following his time as a standout quarterback, Hamilton transitioned into coaching, first serving as Howard’s quarterbacks coach from 1997 to 2001.

His career trajectory took him through roles with several high-profile institutions and NFL teams.

From 2010 to 2012, Hamilton coached at Stanford, initially as the wide receivers coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

He later joined the University of Michigan from 2017 to 2018 as assistant head coach and passing game coordinator.

Hamilton’s most recent NFL experience was with the Houston Texans, where he held the offensive coordinator role during the 2022 season.

Before that, he served as the Texans’ passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2021 and held a similar role with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020, mentoring young star quarterback Justin Herbert.

His extensive NFL résumé also includes previous coaching stops with the New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, and Indianapolis Colts.