Getty Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski
T
he New England Patriots had a difficult 2022 regular season but they started their path to redemption in 2023 with a smart move.
New England officially announced that Bill O’Brien would be the offensive coordinator in 2023. Patriots legend Rob Gronkowski spoke about New England’s decision to bring O’Brien back.
“I love Bill O’Brien. I love playing for him. I love the energy that he brings to the table,” Gronkowski said on the “Up & Adams Show.”
“He has that niche to get you to go out and play your best football, to get you fired up, to get you to want to go out on the field and get better every single day and make big plays,” Gronkowski added. “It was just a great time when he was here for the two seasons — he was here my rookie year (O’Brien was quarterbacks coach) and my second year — and he was just an awesome football coach on the field and off the field as well. His football knowledge is through the roof and I believe he’s definitely going to restore the Patriot Faithful on the offensive side of the ball.”
Rob Gronkowski Believed That the New England Patriots Had to Sign Bill O’Brien
The former tight end also told host Kay Adams that New England had to get O’Brien if they wanted to restore the Patriots offense to its former glory.
“That’s who the Patriots had to get. They had to get Bill O’Brien,” Gronkowski stated. “That’s who they needed to get to restore to back in the old days where they were at on the offensive side of the ball. And they got their guy. I’m telling you, I hope they paid head coach money for him because you definitely had to. I mean, he was definitely high in demand, especially being Alabama’s offensive coordinator. But to take him from Nick Saban, you got to be paying him the big bucks as well.”
Gronkowski added that O’Brien will put the Patriots in the best position to succeed.
“He’s going to put his players in the best position to make plays,” Gronkowski said. “And he’s going to come up with some creative ideas and I think they’re going to definitely improve as an offense, tremendously, under coach Bill O’Brien.”
New England Patriots Bolster Defense In Mel Kiper Jr’s 1st Mock Draft
With the Patriots season being over, fans can now look forward to the NFL Draft. ESPN’s Mel Kiper posted his first mock draft and he believes New England will look to strengthen its defense. He had the Patriots will take Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon.
“Will the Patriots bring back free agent corner Jonathan Jones? That could determine what Bill Belichick & Co. do here, because this is a strong cornerback class in the back half of Round 1,” Kiper explained. “There could be a run on defensive backs in the 20s. Witherspoon is my top-ranked corner, a long and physical player who shut down an entire side of the field for the Fighting Illini. He also is not afraid to stick his head in and make a tackle.”
Witherspoon played four seasons at Illinois and recorded a career-high three interceptions in 2022.