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After a 2022 season where the New England Patriots offense struggled, changes are occurring ahead of the 2023 season.
Bill O’Brien has returned to the NFL after spending some time coaching under Nick Saban at Alabama and will be the Patriots offensive coordinator in 2023. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, O’Brien is making plenty of changes.
“My understanding is Bill O’Brien is completely reworking the playbook with the new coaches,” Breer said on NBC Sports Boston. “I think it’s going to be a hybrid of a lot of different things. I think it’s going to have some stuff that they did at Alabama that Mac is going to be comfortable with, because Mac was at Alabama. … (O’Brien) coached Deshaun Watson in Houston, he coached Bryce Young the last couple years at Alabama, so he’s got a lot of different ideas.
“I think he’s got really great perspective because he does have the bones of the Patriots offense, but he’s gonna be able to do some things that I think are on the cutting edge of where the sport is going,” Breer added.
New England Patriots QB Mac Jones Excited to Work With Bill O’Brien
After struggling in 2022, Jones is excited to have a new coach leading the offense.
In 2022, Jones threw for less than 3,000 yards along with 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions per Pro Football Reference. The quarterback spoke with WBZ’s Steve Burton about his excitement regarding the upcoming season.
“I think we’re all excited for this next year, and it just starts with putting your head down and going to work,” Jones told Burton during an event at the Boys & Girls Club of Metro South in Brockton. “We’ve got a great group of guys, and it’s all about how you come together as a team — players, coaches, everybody.
“So I’m excited to work with (O’Brien), and I know we all are, and it’s gonna be a great year. We’ve just gotta put the work in,” Jones added.
The excitement goes both ways with ESPN’s Mike Reiss saying that Jones was a major reason that O’Brien wanted to come back to the Patriots.
“Some close to the Alabama program, where O’Brien served as OC the past two seasons, believe Jones’ presence is one of the top reasons the job appealed to O’Brien,” Reiss wrote.
Mac Jones Will Need to Earn the New England Patriots Starting QB Job In 2023
The 2023 offseason will be an interesting one for the Patriots. Head coach Bill Belichick has been noncommital when talking about who will be the starting quarterback in 2023.
“Every position. Everybody will get a chance to play,” Belichick said. “Everybody that’s on our roster, if they earn the opportunity to play, then based on what they do in practice and all that, then they’ll get an opportunity to play. Certainly veteran players that have been on the team before, if they’re still on the team, they’ll all get an opportunity to play.”
According to Mike Giardi, Jones isn’t afraid of the upcoming competition.
“Mac’s not afraid of competition,” Giardi recently tweeted. “That’s all he wants to do, compete. I think people are underestimating him & that can only help us.”
Talked to a #Patriots player about the possibility of a Mac vs Zappe battle this spring/summer. “Mac’s not afraid of competition. That’s all he wants to do, compete. I think people are underestimating him & that can only help us.”
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Patriots Coach ‘Completely Reworking the Playbook’