Earlier this week, the New England Patriots officially announced the return of Bill O’Brien as the team’s offensive coordinator.
After head coaching stints with the Penn State Nittany Lions, Houston Texans and an OC position with Alabama, O’Brien is heading back to Foxborough more than a decade since his last stint with the Pats.
The veteran coach recently explained why he made this decision.
“I’ve had a lot of different experiences, but at the end of the day, the opportunity to come back here presented itself, and it was something I couldn’t pass up,” O’Brien said in an interview with the Patriots’ in-house media team. “So I hope maybe I can bring some of those experiences to the table here and help our football team.”
O’Brien took his first NFL coaching job with the Patriots in 2007, joining the team as an offensive assistant. He spent a few seasons as wide receivers and quarterbacks coach before getting promoted to the OC position in 2011.
“I’m looking forward to getting back and working with Bill (Belichick), working for Bill and doing what’s best for the team,” he added. “That’s what this place is all about.”
The Patriots operated without a true offensive coordinator this past season, and the team hopes O’Brien can fill that role in 2023.