Bill O'Brien. Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Former Patriots OC lands first college HC job in over 10 years

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 2/9/24

Bill O'Brien is nearing an official deal to become the Boston College football team's next head coach and complete yet another flip-flop in his career.

Sources: Boston College is working toward a deal to hire Bill O’Brien as the school’s next head coach. A deal is expected soon, giving BC a well-regarded coach with extensive NFL experience and strong local ties. pic.twitter.com/WBh50h0GoP
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 9, 2024

O’Brien went 52-48 as the head coach of the Houston Texas and won Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year honors at Penn State, where he went 15-9 from 2012-13. He worked two seasons as Alabama’s offensive coordinator, including Bryce Young’s Heisman Trophy season.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 9, 2024

The latest news on the 54-year-old not only represents a switch from his reported hire as Ohio State's next offensive coordinator in January but once again sees him going from the NFL back to the college game.

Multiple reports earlier this week indicated that a connection between the Eagles and O'Brien was coming. The lead gig on the Chestnut Hill campus opened up in late January when former Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley was hired as the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator.

O'Brien is a native of Dorchester, Massachusetts (a neighborhood of Boston) and grew up in nearby Andover. O'Brien played college football for Brown University from 1990-92 in Division I-AA, now called the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), before landing his first coaching gig as the Bears tight ends coach in 1993.

Over the past three decades, he's held 15 coaching positions with eight teams (six at the collegiate level).

After leaving the Bay State for college, O'Brien didn't return to Massachusetts until he joined the New England Patriots as an offensive assistant in 2007. Over the last 17 years, he's spent six seasons with the Patriots across two stints.

Now, instead of heading out of state again, he'll stay close to home and try to help the Eagles get past the seven-win mark, somewhere they haven't been since his first season with the Pats.

More must-reads: