In early October, we began hearing the rumblings of O’Brien-to-New England to become the Pats’ offensive coordinator.
On paper, and deductively, it made sense: O’Brien turned down several suitors for college opportunities; despite having a QB win the Heisman, he did not renegotiate or extend his contract with the Tide; O’Brien is a football nerd — he just wants to coach, and has always preferred the purity of the NFL game (his eyes looking towards the Shield has been one of college football’s warning signs since his tenure with Penn State); and Bill Belichick simply decided to not hire a proven OC.