The New England Patriots tight end coach is officially vacant. 

But he's not going far. 

Bill O'Brien recently accepted a job as head coach at Boston College, and according to ESPN's Pete Thamel, they are working to Patriots hire tight end coach Will Lawing as their offensive coordinator. 

O'Brien and Lawing have worked together a few different times. It began at Penn State in 2013, when Lawing served as a graduate assistant, while O'Brien was the head coach.

The duo left together in 2014 and went to the Houston Texans. Once again, O'Brien was the head coach, while Lawing held multiple positions. He started as a defensive quality control coach, offensive assistant, and finally tight ends coach. 

After the 2020 season, they headed to Alabama where O'Brien was the offensive coordinator and Lawing was an offensive assistant. And then when O'Brien returned to New England, Lawing followed as the tight ends coach. 

So it makes sense that Lawing would follow O'Brien once again. 

The new Boston College head coach accepted the job on Friday and isn't wasting any time when building up his staff. 

O'Brien was already set to return to his college roots for the 2024 season, taking the open offensive coordinator job at Ohio State. But he couldn't pass up on the opportunity to be a head coach.

And even more so, he gets to stay local.

Jeff Hafley has served as the head coach at Boston College for the last four years, but left to become the defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers.

So now O'Brien and Lawing will take over.   

Former Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien to take Boston College head coaching job

This one has been coming.