http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/...life_and_job_after_retiring_from_the_patriots
Coach Bill Belichick had an offer on the table for Mayo, but the eight-year veteran and seven-time captain was ready for a challenge that wasn’t so time consuming.
“There’s no doubt that I could have played, but I would never play for anyone else,” Mayo said. “That’s the reality of the situation. The only team I would ever want to play for is the New England Patriots. It’s not like you wake up one day like, ‘All right, I’m done playing football.’ You think about it for a while. You talk to your family. You talk to people you respect. I had a great run playing for the Patriots, and I’ll always be a part of their organization. Those guys know I’ll always be one phone call away, and I’ll always be up here in Massachusetts. I still feel as though I’m part of the team.
“But as far as being able to go out there every day and put in that grind, be away from my family for an extended period of time, that takes a toll on you. People don’t realize. They think we just go out there and play football on Sunday. You’re at the office 12 hours a day or 10 hours a day, so you miss a lot of things. I have a 5-, 4- and 1-year-old. There comes a point where I need to spend some time with my family and watch them grow. They’ve been so supportive of me over these last eight years, and it’s time for me to be supportive of them. That pretty much was the deciding factor. It was tough, though.”
Mayo admits he misses the game, the camaraderie that comes from the uphill runs at the conclusion of summer practices. That’s why he won’t rule out a return to the NFL in a coaching capacity.
“Maybe down the road,” he said. “I love the game, I do. I love football. I love the X’s and O’s of the game. I love putting in the time and just breaking down players and breaking down schemes. That’s something that has always piqued my interest, from a young child, so who knows what God has in store for me down the line.”
