The New England Patriots like to zag when everybody expects them to zig, but they did not do so in their offensive coordinator search. Alabama assistant coach Bill O’Brien was considered the favorite to earn the job even before the interviewing process officially began, and he has now indeed been hired by the club to take over the vacant position.
We will have an entire offseason to dissect the move and its potential impact on a Patriots offense that looked uninspired for most of the 2022 season. For now, however, let’s take a quick look at what it means for New England heading into 2023.