Bill O'Brien emerging as an option for Patriots offensive coordinator in 2023

[JMC00]

Bill O'Brien emerging as option for Patriots offensive coordinator in 2023

Bill O'Brien, the current offensive coordinator at Alabama, is a strong option for a return to the New England Patriots in 2023, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports.

www.nfl.com

 

[Wozzy]

This is just rumor at this point, but he's at the top of my wishlist.

They should give him a great contract and Assistant Head Coach title as incentive, with an eye towards the future.

 

[sportnik]

BOB should be brought in as the HC. Bring back Pioli to run football ops & bring back either Brady or Jimmy G.

As long as BB insists on having his son as DC, he can’t hold anyone accountable. He’s lost the edge that made him so successful and it’s time to move on.

 

[Ross12]

This is just rumor at this point, but he's at the top of my wishlist.

They should give him a great contract and Assistant Head Coach title as incentive, with an eye towards the future.

It's being reported by Ian Rappoport per "sources", so I would guess it's pretty legit. O'Brien famously gives "minimum two year commitments" to teams he signs with, and that two year period with Alabama ends in a week at the Sugar Bowl, so I'm guessing the Pats and O'Brien may have had some initial conversations.

Feels like they're gearing up to announce his signing for 2023 shortly after the Sugar Bowl to try to start controlling the offseason narrative as far as the Patriots offense being a dumpster fire. Instead of free agents in March saying "I don't want to play there, that offense looks like trash", there'll have been a few months of narrative about how it'll be improved because they got B.O.B. in there, etc. Potentially, anyway.

I think O'Brien is a guy Mac likes/wants too. Mac can trust O'Brien to know what he's comfortable with because O'Brien just came from the offense that Mac was running two years ago.

I also kind of feel like Kraft might want O'Brien as the BB successor... just a thought. Seasons like this last one probably makes Bill start thinking about hanging them up sooner rather than later. I wouldn't be surprised if he's ready to head out in 3 or 4 years and we've heard that the Krafts had O'Brien in mind as a BB replacement in the past so if they keep him around as the OC for a few years it may end up working out that way. I'd be fine with it personally. Just keep him out of the draft room for gods sake!

 

[VectorPrime]

I assume Bill O Brien would like to actually be paid so that will be a snag.

 

[Ivan]

I’m no fan of Bill O’Brien, but literally anything is better than this offense.

 

[Wozzy]

It's being reported by Ian Rappoport per "sources", so I would guess it's pretty legit. O'Brien famously gives "minimum two year commitments" to teams he signs with, and that two year period with Alabama ends in a week at the Sugar Bowl, so I'm guessing the Pats and O'Brien may have had some initial conversations.

Feels like they're gearing up to announce his signing for 2023 shortly after the Sugar Bowl to try to start controlling the offseason narrative as far as the Patriots offense being a dumpster fire. Instead of free agents in March saying "I don't want to play there, that offense looks like trash", there'll have been a few months of narrative about how it'll be improved because they got B.O.B. in there, etc. Potentially, anyway.

I think O'Brien is a guy Mac likes/wants too. Mac can trust O'Brien to know what he's comfortable with because O'Brien just came from the offense that Mac was running two years ago.

I also kind of feel like Kraft might want O'Brien as the BB successor... just a thought. Seasons like this last one probably makes Bill start thinking about hanging them up sooner rather than later. I wouldn't be surprised if he's ready to head out in 3 or 4 years and we've heard that the Krafts had O'Brien in mind as a BB replacement in the past so if they keep him around as the OC for a few years it may end up working out that way. I'd be fine with it personally. Just keep him out of the draft room for gods sake!

Agree with everything here, I think Obie turned into a quality head coach. He or rather the Texans were terrible at player personnel and contracts, but the Pats have that baked into the front offense already with Groh and staff.

Obie in a more traditional head coach position with a quality GM is the best possible outcome when BB steps down.

 

[203Pat]

He’s always been an obvious option. The real question is does he want the job?

 

[stinkypete]

O'Brien is the best possible option for the offensive talent we have right now. He ran the two TE offense to a T.

 

[Sciz]

It's being reported by Ian Rappoport per "sources", so I would guess it's pretty legit. O'Brien famously gives "minimum two year commitments" to teams he signs with, and that two year period with Alabama ends in a week at the Sugar Bowl, so I'm guessing the Pats and O'Brien may have had some initial conversations.

Feels like they're gearing up to announce his signing for 2023 shortly after the Sugar Bowl to try to start controlling the offseason narrative as far as the Patriots offense being a dumpster fire. Instead of free agents in March saying "I don't want to play there, that offense looks like trash", there'll have been a few months of narrative about how it'll be improved because they got B.O.B. in there, etc. Potentially, anyway.

Rooney Rule will limit how quickly they can actually name him OC. They have to interview two external minority candidates first, and they’d have to wait until after the season to interview NFL assistants. Teams haven’t been afraid to do the bare minimum to satisfy the requirements and then hire who they wanted all along though, so maybe somebody like old friend Deion Branch (interim Louisville HC) will get an OC interview.

 

[Ross12]

Agree with everything here, I think Obie turned into a quality head coach. He or rather the Texans were terrible at player personnel and contracts, but the Pats have that baked into the front offense already with Groh and staff.

Obie in a more traditional head coach position with a quality GM is the best possible outcome when BB steps down.

Yup, O'Brien has a bit of a stigma attached to his name because of how the Texans org crashed and burned but that was largely due to poor free agency and trade decisions, not coaching. His coaching was actually pretty good - he got the Texans to the playoffs with Brian Hoyer as his starting QB and they were contenders for several seasons with Deshaun Watson. He was also very solid at Penn State before Houston and got that program jumpstarted back to being a good program almost immediately after the Jerry Sandusky scandal when most folks thought they'd be in the doldrums for a while with recruits backing out.

I dunno if they'd just keep Groh as the GM or if BB would only retire as the HC and stay on as the GM or simply in a front office advisory role, but either way, BOB as the HC plus their current front office staff should be pretty solid.

 

[FCB02062]

no way OBrien comes back as OC. Bill the GM does not want to go through the Rooney rule. if OB comes back it will be with one of Bill the GMs stupid effing titles...."Offensive Quality Control Assistant" or "Passing Offense Assistant"

 

[Ross12]

Rooney Rule will limit how quickly they can actually name him OC. They have to interview two external minority candidates first, and they’d have to wait until after the season to interview NFL assistants. Teams haven’t been afraid to do the bare minimum to satisfy the requirements and then hire who they wanted all along though, so maybe somebody like old friend Deion Branch (interim Louisville HC) will get an OC interview.

Good point about the Rooney Rule. I always forget that also applies to coordinators and not just HCs. That'd suck to use Branch as the "designated Rooney" guy, though.

Their OC position has technically been vacant for a year, though - who's to say they haven't had "interviews" with candidates during that time?

 

[Sect140]

Breer called it a water is wet type of report, reporters on pregames shows are told they have to have some type of news story, this was an easy one because everyone including us have been talking about it for weeks.

 

[Love The Drake]

Rooney Rule will limit how quickly they can actually name him OC. They have to interview two external minority candidates first, and they’d have to wait until after the season to interview NFL assistants. Teams haven’t been afraid to do the bare minimum to satisfy the requirements and then hire who they wanted all along though, so maybe somebody like old friend Deion Branch (interim Louisville HC) will get an OC interview.

Offensive consultant title to lock him up.
Then go thru the baseless interviews I hate that rule.
It’s doing a disservice to minority coaches.
Who wants to take an interview to check a box.

 

[Calhoun44]

As long as BB insists on having his son as DC, he can’t hold anyone accountable.

I really don't understand this part of your post. I don't get the feeling that BB has ever coddled his children. I work with my son every day at our business, and I have never had a hard time letting him know of his responsibilities and how to evaluate him properly. Firing him would be really hard but demoting him to a less crucial position would be easy if it was called for. Fortunately, he is one of the most loyal, dependable, hard-working and honest employees that we have ever hired. He feels like a part of the business because he grew up with it and he takes his mistakes to heart and really looks for guidance when needed. I can't imagine that BB isn't able to do a similar thing with his kids. Good work ethic rubs off on your kids and both of them seem to be hard workers that are heavily involved in the most positive unit on this year's team.

 

[Zuma]

I heard this…

“His son is going to Tufts to play baseball and they are moving back to MA where they never sold their house”.

 

[Love The Drake]

I heard this…

“His son is going to Tufts to play baseball and they are moving back to MA where they never sold their house”.

That’s more than Smoke.
However Obrein traded Hopkins cause he had multiple baby mamas.
Well he would be trading me then too as well.

 

[Calhoun44]

Offensive consultant title to lock him up.
Then go thru the baseless interviews I hate that rule.
It’s doing a disservice to minority coaches.
Who wants to take an interview to check a box.

I feel the opposite. I think the Rooney Rule isn't perfect, but it is better than NFL teams not ever considering minorities at all. For years this league has been dominated by black athletes and yet, percentagewise so few are elevated to high level management positions. At least the rule makes the teams meet with them and get some ideas for future positions.

 

[bigballas]

Good point about the Rooney Rule. I always forget that also applies to coordinators and not just HCs. That'd suck to use Branch as the "designated Rooney" guy, though.

Their OC position has technically been vacant for a year, though - who's to say they haven't had "interviews" with candidates during that time?

could also interview Willie McG for OC and fulfill Rooney Rule. heard he has a punch to his offensive attack strategy