Patriots OC Bill O'Brien - QB Mac Jones has clean slate

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien struck a consistent theme on Tuesday when it came to quarterback Mac Jones potentially bouncing back from a disappointing 2022 season.

He's giving him a clean slate.

«Fresh start,» O'Brien said in his first remarks to reporters since he was hired in January. «It's really not anything about what's gone on in the past. That's one of our themes on offense — to move forward.»

The Patriots are banking on O'Brien to bring out the best in Jones, the former first-round pick who will work under his third coordinator in three NFL seasons. O'Brien and Jones had connected briefly leading into the 2021 draft when O'Brien had arrived as the University of Alabama's offensive coordinator and Jones' college career ended with a national championship, but O'Brien downplayed their history together.

«He was there getting ready for the draft. I basically met him, and he talked to me about the generalities of the offense. That was about it,» O'Brien said, stressing that the start of the Patriots' voluntary offseason program Monday is the time he can start to get to know Jones and all players better.

Jones was ascending after a solid rookie season in 2021 under coordinator Josh McDaniels, starting every game in the team's 10-7 campaign, which ended with a blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round of the playoffs. He finished 352-of-521 for 3,801 yards, with 22 touchdowns and 13 touchdowns, and represented the AFC in the Pro Bowl as an alternate.

Head coach Bill Belichick had referenced the «tremendous strides» that Jones had made heading into the 2022 season.

But Jones' momentum was derailed after McDaniels departed to become the Las Vegas Raiders' head