Last week, multiple reports were linking Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien to possibly making a return to the NFL with the New England Patriots. On Wednesday during his Sugar Bowl media availability, O’Brien had an opportunity to address the reports stating that at this moment in time he has not had any contact with anybody affiliated with the Patriots.
“I would tell you that the focus for me and for this coaching staff and for these players has really been on these games that we’re playing,” O’Brien said. “This game coming up, the games that we played this year, the games that we played last year.
“I think those things, almost every year I’ve been in coaching, at least over the last 12 years for me, have come up a lot. And those are things that are addressed after the season. We are very focused on this game. We’ve been focused on every game we’ve played here this year — and last year.
“It’s kind of that time of the year when things come up and things pop up. I haven’t spoken to anybody in New England since probably last April when I went by and saw those guys when I was up there. I wish them well in their last however many games they have left, but we’re very focused on this game and focused on coaching this team to the best of our ability.”
O’Brien is in the final year of his contract with the Crimson Tide as his tenure in Tuscaloosa has had distinct highs and lows over his two seasons.
Later on, O’Brien followed up again on whether he has had contact with any other teams in the NFL and what his future at Alabama looked like going forward.
“I have a lot of friends in the NFL, so the answer would be yes to that,” O’Brien said. “I have a lot of coaching friends in the NFL, so year, they’re some of my closest friends. But relative to working in the NFL, no. Relative to working here, like I said, I love it here. I love my experience here. I’m very focused on this game coming up, and then whatever conversations happen after this game, those will take place when they take place.”
Alabama is set to kickoff against Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 31 at 11 a.m. CT.
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Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77
