FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Bill O'Brien will return to the Patriots after agreeing to a deal Tuesday to become New England's next offensive coordinator, sources tell ESPN's Adam Schefter and Chris Low.
O'Brien, who spent the last two seasons as the offensive coordinator under Nick Saban at the University of Alabama, now is back to where his NFL career began in 2007 as a coaching assistant.
In that first stint in New England, O'Brien quickly rose the ranks on Bill Belichick's coaching staff to quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, spending three years (2009-2011) in that role before departing for head coaching positions at Penn State (2012-2013) and with the Houston Texans (2014-2020).
A Massachusetts native, the 53-year-old O'Brien will be charged with improving a Patriots offense that dipped notably in most key areas in 2022, including:
• Red zone efficiency: 11th (39 TDs in 63 trips) to 32nd (19 TDs in 45 trips)
• Third down: 10th (43.5%) to 27th (34.8%)
• First downs: Tied-9th (362) to 28th (288)
• Sacks: 8th (28 for 241 yards) to 19th (41 for 279 yards)
• Touchdowns scored: 48 to 31
Belichick didn't name an official offensive coordinator for the Patriots in 2022, leaning on Matt Patricia as the primary play-caller despite Patricia's primary background in the NFL being on the defensive side.
Belichick also oversaw a streamlining of the offense -- changing the blocking terminology for offensive linemen -- in which one of his goals was to produce more big plays down the field.
But the desired results never came to fruition, leading to the Patriots, who are notoriously tight-lipped about their intentions, publicly announcing on Jan. 12 that they would be interviewing for an offensive coordinator.
The Patriots spoke with O'Brien, current New England tight ends coach Nick Caley, Minnesota Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell, Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Shawn Jefferson and University of Oregon associate head coach/offensive line/run-game coordinator Adrian Klemm.
Upon landing at Alabama, where he worked closely with quarterback Bryce Young, O'Brien had spent time with current Patriots quarterback Mac Jones -- a Crimson Tide alum -- going over the team's offense.
O'Brien, who spent the last two seasons as the offensive coordinator under Nick Saban at the University of Alabama, now is back to where his NFL career began in 2007 as a coaching assistant.
In that first stint in New England, O'Brien quickly rose the ranks on Bill Belichick's coaching staff to quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, spending three years (2009-2011) in that role before departing for head coaching positions at Penn State (2012-2013) and with the Houston Texans (2014-2020).
A Massachusetts native, the 53-year-old O'Brien will be charged with improving a Patriots offense that dipped notably in most key areas in 2022, including:
• Red zone efficiency: 11th (39 TDs in 63 trips) to 32nd (19 TDs in 45 trips)
• Third down: 10th (43.5%) to 27th (34.8%)
• First downs: Tied-9th (362) to 28th (288)
• Sacks: 8th (28 for 241 yards) to 19th (41 for 279 yards)
• Touchdowns scored: 48 to 31
Belichick didn't name an official offensive coordinator for the Patriots in 2022, leaning on Matt Patricia as the primary play-caller despite Patricia's primary background in the NFL being on the defensive side.
Belichick also oversaw a streamlining of the offense -- changing the blocking terminology for offensive linemen -- in which one of his goals was to produce more big plays down the field.
But the desired results never came to fruition, leading to the Patriots, who are notoriously tight-lipped about their intentions, publicly announcing on Jan. 12 that they would be interviewing for an offensive coordinator.
The Patriots spoke with O'Brien, current New England tight ends coach Nick Caley, Minnesota Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell, Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Shawn Jefferson and University of Oregon associate head coach/offensive line/run-game coordinator Adrian Klemm.
Upon landing at Alabama, where he worked closely with quarterback Bryce Young, O'Brien had spent time with current Patriots quarterback Mac Jones -- a Crimson Tide alum -- going over the team's offense.
And I'm gonna sing a song for you
And Bill's gonna show you a thing or two
You'll have some fun now
With me and all the gang
Learning from each other
While we do our thing
Na, na, na
Gonna have a good time
Hey, hey, hey!
Na, na, na
Gonna have a good time
And Bill's gonna show you a thing or two
You'll have some fun now
With me and all the gang
Learning from each other
While we do our thing
Na, na, na
Gonna have a good time
Hey, hey, hey!
Na, na, na
Gonna have a good time
Problem I see here with the Patriots is BB seemingly is not going to let BOB bring his
people in to work with on offense. BB trying to hire Adrian Klemm as O-Line coach who has never worked with BOB, have heard nothing but bad things about Klemm also.
Makes no sense as with the offense BOB is going to run the O-Line coach is vital to the plays
and their success, to hire someone that BOB has not worked with makes zero sense.
BB needs to let some power go and allow BOB to bring in who he wants to work with
not who BB thinks will work. BB does not know modern day offense, he needs to cede some
power on who is hired to work with BOB in running the offense.
Just because they brought BOB in does not mean the Patriots will improve on offense if BB brings in
who he wants to work on the offense. BB just setting up the offense up for failure, again
people in to work with on offense. BB trying to hire Adrian Klemm as O-Line coach who has never worked with BOB, have heard nothing but bad things about Klemm also.
Makes no sense as with the offense BOB is going to run the O-Line coach is vital to the plays
and their success, to hire someone that BOB has not worked with makes zero sense.
BB needs to let some power go and allow BOB to bring in who he wants to work with
not who BB thinks will work. BB does not know modern day offense, he needs to cede some
power on who is hired to work with BOB in running the offense.
Just because they brought BOB in does not mean the Patriots will improve on offense if BB brings in
who he wants to work on the offense. BB just setting up the offense up for failure, again
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LMK
