The Facts: Bill O'Brien is back in New England, where the job might be a bit more difficult this time around. The newly hired offensive coordinator returns to the Patriots with a wealth of coaching experience gained at the NFL and collegiate levels, as both a head coach and an assistant. He's traveled quite a winding road in recent years, spending the last decade with stops at Penn State, the Houston Texans and Alabama before moving back to New England. A fellow product of Tuscaloosa -- Jones -- awaits O'Brien's arrival. After a remarkably frustrating season in 2022, Jones could use the help of O'Brien, a seasoned play-caller with a history of producing success with the Patriots. And as Jones enters his third NFL season, there's no better time than now to redirect his course toward a positive performance.

Diehards Line:"I think the big thing for us right now is everybody start with a clean slate. I think that every year is different," O'Brien said on Tuesday of Jones and the QB position as a whole. "I think this year is no different than any other year relative to each year in the NFL is different, right? So, what you did in the past, whether it's a player or coach or anybody in the organization, really has no bearing on what happens moving forward. So like, we just started yesterday and we're looking forward to having a good Phase 1 and then a good Phase 2 and then a good Phase 3 and that's kind of what it's all about. ..." Jones' third season comes with enough speculation and rumors to make one question his future with the Patriots. A difficult season will have that effect, especially for a franchise that grew accustomed to competing for Lombardi Trophies. The Pats have reached the postseason just once since Tom Brady's departure. O'Brien and Jones will have the months ahead to get to know each other quite well. After a forgettable 2022 season, O'Brien, Jones and the rest of the Patriots will hope to produce quite a memorable bounce-back campaign in 2023.