Bill O'Brien
Former Houston Texans head coach (2014–2020) who led the team to a 9–7 record in his first season.
William James O'Brien (born October 23, 1969) is an American football coach who is currently the head coach at Boston College. Previously, he was the head coach of the Houston Texans from 2014 to 2020, and at Penn State from 2012 to 2013.
- Previous Role
- Offensive Coordinator (New England Patriots, 2011)
- Notable Achievement
- Led team to 9-7 record in debut season; made playoffs in four of his first six seasons (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019)
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
O'Brien began his coaching career in 1993 at Brown University before spending more than a decade coaching in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He joined the New England Patriots in 2007, eventually serving as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator in 2011. In 2012, O'Brien was hired by Penn State to take over a program that had just endured a child sexual abuse scandal. In his first season as head coach, O'Brien led the team to an 8–4 record and won ESPN's National Coach of the Year award. After the 2012 season, he interviewed with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns but decided to stay at Penn State. After his second season, O'Brien left Penn State to become the head coach of the Texans. O'Brien's tenure with the Texans included a 51–31 Divisional Round loss to the eventual Super Bowl winning Kansas City Chiefs after leading 24–0 in the second quarter, and a controversial trade of star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals. In 2020, O'Brien was fired by the Texans, and was hired by Alabama to be offensive coordinator in 2021. In 2023, he was re-hired by the Patriots to be the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Following the season, O'Brien was hired by Boston College to be their head coach.
In Their Own Story
The lights of NRG Stadium hummed over a packed house on a humid November night in 2014. Bill O'Brien stood on the sideline, headset on, eyes scanning the field with the intensity of a man who had just orchestrated a Super Bowl victory elsewhere. As the quarterback huddled, O'Brien pointed to the sky, signaling a deep shot that would define his philosophy: fearless and vertical. The ball spiraled through the Texas air, caught in stride by DeAndre Hopkins, sparking a roar from the stands that echoed the hope of a franchise ready to soar.
Reader's Guide
O'Brien earned his first win as a head coach when the Texans beat the Washington Redskins in the season-opener by a score of 17–6. In O'Brien's first season with the team, they finished with a 9–7 record and narrowly missed the playoffs. In 2015, the Texans again finished with a 9–7 record and finished atop the AFC South. During the Wild Card Round of the playoffs, the Texans were blown out 30–0 by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Did You Know?
- O'Brien was one of only two Texans head coaches to lead the team to a winning record in his first season since the franchise's inception.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Bill O'Brien to the Texans?
He served as the head coach of the team during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Before arriving in Houston, he worked as an offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots.
What were Bill O'Brien's biggest achievements?
In his first year, he led the squad to a 9-7 record and pushed them toward an AFC South division title. However, consistency issues eventually caused his offensive system to falter in subsequent games.
Why was Bill O'Brien a high-profile hire?
He arrived with the reputation of having designed the offense for a Super Bowl champion team in New England. This pedigree made him a major target for Houston as they searched for immediate stability after Gary Kubiak's departure.
What kind of offense did Bill O'Brien run?
He introduced a pass-heavy philosophy that shifted the team away from previous ground-oriented strategies. This aggressive approach initially boosted scoring but lacked long-term reliability.
When did Bill O'Brien leave the franchise?
His tenure lasted exactly two seasons, spanning from 2014 through the conclusion of the 2015 campaign. The organization moved on to new leadership after this period of transition ended.
More in Club History & Eras
Elsewhere in the Houston Texans universe
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