Former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman seems bullish about his former team’s chances in the 2023 season. The wide receiver has one reason in particular for the projected turnaround: Bill O’Brien.
Edelman is a fan of O’Brien’s. The wide receiver played under the offensive coach for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. O’Brien was named the Patriots offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach last week, and several within the organization approved of the move.
New England is looking to return to the playoffs, after missing out on postseason play in two out of the last three seasons. The Patriots underwent several coaching changes this offseason so far, including keeping Jerod Mayo and adding O’Brien. Edelman noted O’Brien could be the key for success, as he told NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Giles on Tuesday.
“He’s a tough coach,” said Edelman. “He’s going to tell you how he sees it. But the thing that I like about Billy O is it’s going to allow Coach Belichick to really focus on everything else on the team. It felt like little things were slipping away this last year, little details that you always see — special teams, situational-type football, a lot of brain farts.
“So Billy O being there, it allows Bill to kind of sit there and say, ‘Alright, I know what Billy O is. He’s a former head coach. I can bounce ideas off of him.’ But [Belichick] can think of the macro now. He can focus on the macro, and that’s why Bill’s the best, because he can usually do that. I think he had his foot in it last year and it was taking him away from those little things here and there.”
"The thing that I like about Bill O'Brien is it's going to allow Belichick to really focus on everything else on the team"
Julian Edelman shares his thoughts on Bill O'Brien & Mac Jones with @TomGilesNBCS on Arbella Early Edition pic.twitter.com/CC5HN3a04e
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) January 31, 2023
The Patriots struggled in several critical areas last season, in particular special teams. The two special teams touchdowns given up to the Buffalo Bills in the regular season finale were alarming and crucial to the outcome of the game.
The product on the field remains to be seen . However, the positive reaction to O’Brien’s hire is certainly noteworthy, as the team enters a crucial 2023 season.
