Jerod Mayo is opening the Patriots’ offensive coordinator search with a familiar face.

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Rams tight ends coach Nick Caley, an ex-Patriots assistant for eight years, will interview Monday, according to ESPN. Caley is the first coach known to have an interview for the offensive coordinator position, which Bill O’Brien left Thursday to take the same job at Ohio State. Mayo is also conducting concurrent searches for his next defensive and special teams coordinators.

Caley, 40, joined the Patriots as a low-level offensive assistant in 2015. He was promoted to tight ends coach in 2017, and held that position for the next six seasons. Caley interviewed for the Patriots’ offensive coordinator job last year before it went to O’Brien, and also met with the Jets and Texans about their openings.

After getting passed over, he left for Los Angeles and helped lead a surprise playoff run with the Rams. Caley also changed the Rams’ offensive system under head coach Sean McVay, who hired outside assistants last offseason to evolve an offense that finished bottom-6 in scoring in 2022. This season, Los Angeles ranked top 10 by points scored and DVOA.

Caley started his career as a college coach, jumping from his alma mater, John Carroll in 2005 to Akron, Auburn, Iowa State, Eastern Illinois, Arkansas and Florida Atlantic. He spent most of those seasons as a defensive coach, before moving to the offensive side full-time in New England. With the Patriots, he coached players from veterans like Rob Gronkowski and Hunter Henry to 2020 third-round rookies Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene.

Caley was the Patriots’ longest-tenured offensive assistant upon leaving last year and predates Mayo as a Patriots assistant. As a tight ends coach, he was involved in teaching passing concepts, run schemes, run-blocking and pass-blocking. McVay said he trusted Caley’s experience — which includes coaching fullbacks — when hiring him to help change his offense following the Rams’ 5-year run as one of the highest-scoring teams in the league.

Under Caley’s tutelage, Rams tight end Tyler Higbee finished third on the team in receptions (47) and receiving yards (495) last year.