Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo isn’t the only assistant on the defensive staff who believes he could be a head coach one day.

Defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington, who was named to NFL Media’s head coach watch list last month, said Tuesday during a video conference call running a team is one of his goals.

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“Obviously that’s in the horizon for me of what I want to do,” Covington said. “I got in this profession to, one, try to impact men. That’s what I try to do. So as we go through this, the steps of being a position coach, coordinator to head coach, obviously wanting to lead a team. That is definitely one of my goals.

“And when that might be, I don’t know. I don’t have my own plan. God has the plans for me. What those plans are, I don’t know. Whenever he says I’m ready, that’s when I’m ready. Until then, I’ll be working and when that time comes, you’ll know, I’ll know, and then we’ll go from there.”

The Patriots have the NFL’s stingiest run defense, allowing just 3.1 yards per carry, this season.

The Cardinals interviewed Covington for their defensive coordinator opening last season. Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon didn’t hire Covington but believed he’d be a defensive coordinator in 2024.

If the Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick part ways and Mayo takes over, that could even come in New England.