Belichick offers praise like that about as often as he prowls the sideline sans his hooded sweatshirt. But in 16 seasons as a special teams coach with the Browns/Ravens (1991-98), Panthers (1999-2004), and Broncos (2007-08), the 52-year-old O’Brien oversaw units that produced 29 special teams scores, including 17 punt returns for touchdowns.
Replacing Brad Seely, O’Brien has already made quite an impression in training camp. His decision to dive into the team’s slip-and-slide rookie initiation Sunday not only was one of the highlights of camp thus far, but it endeared him to his players.
“I don’t know if there was any motivation behind it,’’ said O’Brien, “but I think it was like everybody else. You’ve heard about it, and the players can kind of persuade you into doing things you may not want to do. I kind of went along with it. It was kind of neat.’’
O’Brien has his work cut out for him, as the team has undergone an overhaul on special teams. Gone are longtime special teams captain Larry Izzo, cult-hero long snapper Lonie Paxton, and kickoff returner Ellis Hobbs, who ranked second in the NFL last season with an average of 28.5 yards per return and set a franchise record with 1,281 yards.
Like all special teams coaches, he also has to deal with the NFL rule change that limits blocking wedges on kickoffs to just two players lined up shoulder to shoulder. O’Brien said that, schematically, the rule doesn’t affect his approach very much.
However, Belichick has stated that in the high-speed world of kickoff returns, the rule is open to some interpretation, creating a level of uncertainty.
“I think anytime they change a rule or try to bring in a rule, I think in the preseason you’re going to find out [how it is officiated],’’ said O’Brien. “We try to do as much as we can to teach the players the rule itself and the techniques within the rules that we’re trying to accomplish.
