PHOENIX — Robert Kraft didn’t flat out say Jerod Mayo would be the successor to Bill Belichick.

But listening to the Patriots owner Monday during his session with the media at the NFL’s annual meeting, Kraft wouldn’t be disappointed if that turned out to be the case.

“There’s no ceiling on his ability to be a head coach. And he’ll be a head coach,” Kraft said Monday. “I’m sure of that. I hope he’s with us. So we’ll see what happens.”

Kraft said he was happy to be able to keep Mayo, who turned down several head coaching interviews during this year’s hiring circuit to remain in New England.

While it’s unclear if Mayo will get a new title, he was given a pay hike, a source indicated recently, and likely got some assurances that his role would expand.

“Jerod is an individual I think has no ceiling for his ability to grow and how competent he is. We had the privilege of having him as a player and I saw how intense he was and his leadership skills that he had,” said Kraft. “And then I saw him leave us and go into the private industry and learn the Xs and Os of business and then come back to be a coach and do that with us.

“Good coaches get hired away, so I was happy we were able to sit with him and try to keep him long term. I’ll do everything I can to make that happen.”