It apparently didn't take the Patriots long to fill Bill O'Brien's shoes.
Josh McDaniels will return to the Patriots as an offensive assistant and work with the team through the playoffs, then become offensive coordinator again in 2012 according to an ESPN report Saturday morning."McDaniels likely will succeed O'Brien as the Patriots' offensive coordinator next season, but he was to begin working immediately for the Patriots this season, returning to the team he left in 2009 to take the Broncos' head coaching job, the source said," wrote Adam Schefter.O'Brien, who was named head coach at Penn State on Saturday, will remain with the Pats as offensive coordinator until they complete their season.
McDaniels served as a Patriots assistant from 2001-08, and was offensive coordinator from '05-'08. He left to become head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2009, but was fired just before the end of the 2010 season. He spent this season as offensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams.