NEWSLETTER
The Patriots and Bill O’Brien will be reuniting in New England next season. O’Brien served as the offensive coordinator for Nick Saban’s Alabama Crimson Tide for the last two seasons. This will be his second stint with the Patriots.
ESPN NFL insider Josina Anderson reported this morning that O’Brien is heading back to New England:
The Patriots went without an official offensive coordinator this past season and play calling duties were handled by Matt Patricia.
The result was a disaster, as New England ranked 26th in total yards per game (314.6) and 17th in scoring (21.4 PPG). New England ranked 20th in passing (208 yards per game) and 24th in rushing (106.6 yard per game).
O’Brien worked under Bill Belichick in New England from 2007-2011. He started in New England as an offensive assistant before being promoted to the wide receivers coach in 2008. Then quarterbacks coach in 2009, and finally, the offensive coordinator in 2011.
O’Brien left New England to take the head coach job at Penn State (2011-13) before returning to the NFL to be the head coach of the Texans (2014-20).
As the Patriots’ OC in 2011, the team ranked third in the league in points scored and second in yards gained. Under O’Brien, Alabama ranked fourth in scoring (41.1 points per game) this season. The Crimson Tide ranked sixth in scoring last season (39.9 points per game).
