Patriots' Ex Bill O'Brien Setting Sights on 'New England' Head Coach?

Multiple reports are connecting Bill O'Brien, the recently departed New England Patriots offensive coordinator, to the head coaching job at Boston College.

Bill O'Brien left the New England Patriots to spread his wings in the college game. That journey could eventually end in the Eagles' head coaching spot.

Per multiple reports, O'Brien is one of the top candidates to lead Boston College football after Jeff Hafley accepted a professional offer from the Green Bay Packers. O'Brien served as the Patriots' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach last season, his second stint in Foxborough after five seasons in a variety of roles (2007-11). He moved on to Ohio State after a trying return to the Patriots, one that saw the end of the Mac Jones era amidst multiple offensive shortcomings. 

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Bruce Feldman of The Athletic labeled O'Brien a "wild card option" upon the vacancy's emergence, while a Saturday X post from Kevin J. Stone of the New England Football Journal said the mutual interest between O'Brien and Chestnut Hill is "definitely real."

"Hearing O’Brien absolutely wants the job & BC wants him to have the job," Stone wrote in a follow-up. "(They) need to settle on terms & money at this point." 

O'Brien is practically synonymous with New England football: born and raised in Boston (Dorchester, to be precise) and an alum of St. John's Preparatory School in Danvers, O'Brien began his coaching career at Brown, where he previously served as a defensive end and linebacker. O'Brien also carries previous head coaching experience with both Penn State University (2012-13) and the Houston Texans (2014-20), posting a 69-61 record and making four NFL postseason appearances.

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BC football went 21-26 in four seasons under Hafley, who will serve as the Packers' defensive coordinator. Things did end on a high note, as the Eagles recovered from a 1-3 start to finish 7-6 last season, the campaign ironically wrapping up at Fenway Park's gridiron showcase, the Fenway Bowl, of all places. A 23-14 victory over No. 24 Southern Methodist in the shadow of the Green Monster was BC's first bowl victory since 2016.

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