NFL News: He left Dolphins for Patriots, but not because of Bill Belichick

Even though there’s still a long way to go for Week 1 of the 2023 NFL regular season, the new season is already starting to take shape. The free agency deserves credit for that, since it saw plenty of players change teams.

Mike Gesicki, for instance, left the Dolphins after many years but stayed in the AFC East. The tight end, who hit the free agency after his deal in Miami expired, agreed on a one-year contract with the Patriots.

Playing for such a storied franchise under such a legendary coach is definitely attractive for any football player. However, it wasn’t Bill Belichick what makesGesicki feel so excited about moving to New England.

Mike Gesicki excited about reunion with Bill O’Brien at Patriots

Though there are many reasons to be excited about his new chapter, Gesicki looks particularly thrilled about playing for Bill O’Brien. The current Patriots offensive coordinator was the one who recruited the tight end to Penn State, where O’Brien served as head coach. However, he left to coach the Texans before Gesicki got to play, so it’s a reunion the former Dolphins player was looking forward to.

“So I knew OB going all the way back to my high school days. So it was funny after we agreed on everything and he called me ten years later now,” Gesicki told the Patriots’ website, via ProFootballTalk. “But it’s exciting to finally be able to play for him and already having those relationships formed, so I’m excited.”

Gesicki is an excitingaddition for a Patriots offense that left a lot to be desired in 2022. With O’Brien back at the helm, it will be interesting to see if these moves ultimately help Mac Jones.