Patriots Interview Bill O’Brien: Top Offensive Coordinator Candidate?

O’Brien is now the fifth prospective candidate linked to the Patriots offensive coaching vacancy.

FOXBORO — The New England Patriots search for a new offensive coordinator just intensified in significant fashion. 

University of Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien has conducted an interview with the organization, as first reported by NFL Network.

The report further indicated that O’Brien is a “top candidate” for the position. 

Just one week removed from issuing a press release to announce their intention to begin interviewing prospective candidates, O’Brien has been the most high-profile name linked to the vacancy. 

A source confirmed to Patriots Country on Tuesday that O’Brien was indeed among the Pats most prominent considerations for the position, corroborating multiple reports that he was a favorite of several ‘influential voices’ throughout the organization,

Though he may be remembered for his recent struggles as both head coach and general manager of the Houston Texans, O’Brien is a quite accomplished offensive coach. In addition to his time with the Patriots, Texans and Crimson Tide, he spent two successful seasons at the helm of the Penn State Nittany Lions. 

Having served under coach Bill Belichick from 2007-11, O’Brien helped navigate a Patriots offense, which featured ball protection, efficient running and spreading the ball to multiple pass catchers; including a fearsome two-tight-end-set of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. As such, the 53-year-old was thought to be the ideal coach to find similar success with New England’s current tight-end-tandem of Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith.

Perhaps most significantly, O’Brien possesses the familiarity with an offensive system designed to accentuate the abilities of quarterback Mac Jones. Having spent the past pair of seasons as Alabama’s offensive coordinator under head coach Nick Saban, O’Brien ran a similar scheme for the Crimson Tide in 2021. This, combined with his previous experience working under Belichick, would lessen his initiation period with New England.

O’Brien has now become the fifth coach linked to the Patriots’ vacant offensive coordinator job. He is joining current tight ends coach Nick Caley, Minnesota Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell, Oregon assistant Adrian Klemm, and Arizona Cardinals associate head coach/wide receivers Shawn Jefferson.

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Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots

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