Patriots bring O’Brien back as OC

Bill O’Brien is returning to the Patriots.

The former assistant coach for New England has been hired to return as the team’s offensive coordinator, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Low reported Tuesday. O’Brien, who most recently served as Alabama’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, will work with former Crimson Tide quarterback Mac Jones, who sputtered this season under the Patriots’ senior football adviser, Matt Patricia.

O’Brien previously was with the Patriots from 2007-11, serving the final two years as quarterbacks coach and then offensive coordinator, working with Tom Brady. O’Brien’s last NFL stop was with the Texans, with which he was the head coach for 6 ¹/₂ seasons before his ouster in October 2020.

Speculation about O’Brien’s New England homecoming had mounted for months prior to his official return, and rumors swirled that a certain Super Bowl champ — who had two decades worth of history with the Patriots — “has an interest” inreuiniting with his ex-coordinator.

During an appearance last week on 98.5 The Sports Hub, The Boston Globe’s Chris Gasper floated the idea that wherever O’Brien landed, Brady — an impending free agent — could possibly follow.

“It seems like Brady really has an interest in Bill O’Brien as someone that makes it easier for him,” Gasper said, according to NESN.com. “[The Buccaneers] were sniffing around Bill O’Brien because they thought it would give him a better chance with Brady. I think these teams think if they get Bill O’Brien, maybe they can get Brady, too. That it ups their chances.”

The 45-year-old Brady spent the past three seasons with Tampa Bay following 20 years with the Patriots, with whom he won six Super Bowls. The 2022 season was marred by professional and personal pitfalls for Brady. Not only was he eliminated in the wild-card round of the playoffs, but his 13-year marriage to Gisele Bündchen ended in October.