Bill O'Brien re-joined the New England Patriots on January 26, 2023, as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. O'Brien spent five seasons with the Patriots, from 2007 through the 2011 season, and contributed to five winning seasons, four AFC East Division titles and two AFC Conference Champions during his time with New England. The Patriots finished in the top 10 in offense every year during O'Brien's time with the Patriots. He was appointed to offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in 2011 following two seasons as quarterbacks coach (2009-10) and one season as wide receivers coach (2008). He originally joined the Patriots as a coaching assistant in 2007, following 14 seasons coaching at the collegiate level.
After leaving New England, O'Brien served as the head coach at Penn State (2012-13), where he garnered national and conference Coach of the Year honors in 2012. He was named the head coach of the Houston Texans in 2014. In his seven seasons with the Texans, Houston won four AFC South titles and advanced to the AFC Divisional Round twice. He most recently served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Alabama (2021-22).
In O'Brien's final season with New England in 2011, the franchise set a record with 6,848 total net yards and was third in the NFL in points per game (32.1). O'Brien coached the Patriots to 513 points on 61 touchdowns, good for the fourth-most in team history. In 2010, New England led the NFL in scoring with 32.4 points per game and ranked eighth in total offense. In 2009, the Patriots offense finished third in the NFL after averaging 397.3 yards in total offense.
In 2008, Patriots wide receivers contributed to an offense that posted the third highest yardage output in franchise history, despite the loss of starting quarterback Tom Brady in Week 1. Wes Welker produced his second consecutive season with 100-plus receptions and was selected to his first Pro Bowl. Both Welker and Randy Moss posted 1,000-yard receiving seasons in 2008, each achieving the first back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in franchise history.
Prior to entering the NFL, O'Brien coached in the Atlantic Coast Conference for 12 seasons, including tenures at Georgia Tech (1995-2002), Maryland (2003-04) and Duke (2005-06).
O'Brien completed a two-year tenure at Duke as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2005-06. O'Brien joined the Duke coaching staff after spending two seasons as the running backs coach at the University of Maryland. In his first season with Maryland in 2003, the Terrapins finished second in the ACC in rushing and defeated West Virginia in the Gator Bowl.
O'Brien spent eight seasons at Georgia Tech (1995-2002) and served as the Yellow Jackets' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in his final two seasons. In addition to his normal duties, he also served as an assistant head coach in 2002 and was Georgia Tech's recruiting coordinator from 1999-2000. He spent his first three seasons at Georgia Tech as an offensive graduate assistant (1995-97), before beginning a three-year stint as the Yellow Jackets' running backs coach (1998-2000). In each of O'Brien's three seasons coaching the running backs, Georgia Tech finished no lower than third in the conference in rushing. During his two-year tenure as offensive coordinator (2001-02), the team played in a bowl game each season. In 2001, under O'Brien's direction, the Yellow Jackets led the ACC in passing and finished third in the league in scoring.
O'Brien began his coaching career at Brown, coaching tight ends in 1993 and tutoring inside linebackers in 1994.
O'Brien was a linebacker and defensive end at Brown University from 1990-92.
Bill O'Brien was born on October 23, 1969 in Dorchester, Mass., and raised in Andover. He and his wife, Colleen, have two sons, Jack and Michael.
