Skip to main content

After a tenure in Houston that began with 3 straight seasons of 9-7 and ended with a mess for Deshaun Watson and the rest Texans front office, Bill O'Brien has finally made his move away from the NFL; signing on to be the new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach for Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide.

"We are pleased and happy to be able to add Bill O’Brien to our coaching staff" Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban said. “He has a wealth of experience as both an offensive coordinator and head coach in the NFL and college. Bill is one of the brightest offensive minds in football, an outstanding teacher and excellent recruiter. He will strengthen our coaching staff and give our players the best possible chance to be successful.”

O'Brien leaves the Texans and heads back to college for the first time since 2013, when he left his Penn State head coaching position to return to the NFL.

His best years in Houston came after the franchise drafted Deshaun Watson, who was injured in Week 9 of his first season, leading to a 4-12 finish. O'Brien received a 4 year extension coming off his worst finish as an NFL Head Coach, and showed some signs of life finishing 11-5 with the comeback and arrival of the Texans star quarterback.

The Texans were never able to make it past the divisional round under O'Brien, losing the following year to the Kansas City Chiefs, blowing a 24-0 lead at Arrowhead Stadium. O'Brien was then promoted to be the GM that offseason, becoming only the second head coach in the NFL alongside Bill Belichick to work both roles. 

In his first major move as GM, O'Brien traded Texan and former Clemson WR Deandre Hopkins for RB David Johnson, who had a few outstanding years in Arizona but became riddled by injuries. 

Saban likely sees a redemption arc in O'Briens future, but after the near sabotage of Deshaun Watson's first few years as a pro, what is he thinking?