BOSTON — Boston College has hired former Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien as the school’s next head football coach.
O’Brien to BC has been a hot rumor for more than a week, WBZ-TV confirmed on Friday that the two sides were ironing out the details as of Friday morning. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that the two parties were working toward a deal earlier in the day.
An official announcement from Boston College came later Friday afternoon.
“When we embarked on this search, we prioritized finding a coach who believes in our mission and vision, who has a plan for greatness on and off the field, and who will work tirelessly to elevate BC Football,” athletic director Blake James said. “Bill is a gifted leader who has had a tremendous amount of success as a head coach and coordinator at both the collegiate and NFL levels. His passion for teaching football and developing young men make him a great fit to lead Boston College to greater heights.”
O’Brien left the Patriots after the 2023 season to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State, but the Andover native has wanted another shot to be a head coach. Now he will get that opportunity at Boston College.
He’s replacing Jeff Hafley, who left the Eagles after four seasons to become the defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers.
O’Brien has head coaching experience at both the college and professional level. Following his first run as an offensive coach in New England from 2007-11 — including a stint as Tom Brady’s quarterbacks coach from 2009-11 — he coached Penn State for two seasons. He took over for Joe Paterno following the Jerry Sandusky Scandal as the program dealt with severe NCAA sanctions, but led the Nittany Lions to a 15-9 record.
That earned him a head coaching job in the NFL in Houston, with O’Brien going 52-48 over his seven seasons with the Texans. Houston made the playoffs four times under O’Brien’s watch, but he was fired four games into the 2020 season after an 0-4 start.
O’Brien then joined the staff at Alabama and was Nick Saban’s offensive coordinator for two years, where he coached Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young in 2021. He returned to New England for a second stint as OC in 2023, but the Patriots’ offense struggled throughout the campaign and finished tied for last in the NFL at just 13.9 points per game.
Now the 54-year-old is back in the college ranks with a team of his own. O’Brien reportedly sought out the Boston College job, and hopes to finish his coaching career with the Eagles.
