Bill O’Brien’s return to college football in 2024 brought a spark to Boston College. In his first season at the helm, he guided the Eagles to a 7–6 record, including a trip to the Pinstripe Bowl—where they narrowly lost to Nebraska 20–15. While not a breakout campaign, it marked a solid step forward for a program that had been hovering in mediocrity. Off the field, O’Brien reflected openly on lessons from his time with the Houston Texans, where he juggled head coaching duties with the GM role—something he now admits was a mistake.

At Boston College, he’s leaned into what he does best: building players, commanding a locker room, and calling smart football.With momentum on his side and expectations rising, year two could reveal whether O’Brien’s coaching reboot is built to last. Before heading into 2025 season, let’s talk MVP in the background—his wife, Colleen O’Brien. She’s been riding shotgun since way before the Texans, before Bama, even before the Penn State turnaround. So who is the woman holding it all together behind the scenes?

What Is Bill O’Brien’s Current Relationship Status?

Let’s cut right to it—Bill O’Brien is very much taken. Locked in. Married since 1998. And despite jumping cities like it’s part of a coach’s job description (because it is), he’s kept his personal life steady. No drama and very rare media publicity. Just Bill, Colleen, and a family that’s been grinding through this football journey as one unit. They tied the knot and have built a life together that’s stretched across coaching stints in Atlanta, New England, Houston, and Tuscaloosa.

Who Is Bill O’Brien’s Wife, Colleen O’Brien?

You won’t see Colleen popping up in tabloids or on social media every game day, but make no mistake—she’s still the rock. During O’Brien’s NFL stint, especially those messy GM-coach double-duty days in Houston, he leaned heavily on her for perspective. “I have a fantastic wife, Colleen,” he told reporters back in 2014. Even then, with everything swirling, he knew where his real foundation was. “She’s got the hardest job of all”. And considering the man’s managed rosters, game plans, and GM duties? That’s saying something.

Colleen isn’t just “the coach’s wife.” She’s a Boston College alum, a former law student, and someone who once dreamed of becoming an athletic director herself. Before she decided to support Bill’s skyrocketing career from the home front, Colleen was mapping out her own big-time sports path. But love’s a funny play-caller. She hit pause on the AD dream and leaned into being the anchor at home while Bill climbed the football ladder.

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And get this—Colleen has a wicked sense of humor. When she first met Bill, she thought he was hilarious. “He’s very funny, very self-deprecating. Sarcastic. I can be that way, too,” she told author Stephanie Loh. She met him while he was a GA at Georgia Tech, and the vibe clicked instantly—even though Bill had more eyes on the TV than the conversation. “There were so many football games on that he was really busier watching games than talking to me,” she joked.

When Did Bill O’Brien Meet Colleen O’Brien?

The story goes back to the mid-’90s—Atlanta, Georgia. Colleen tagged along with a friend (tight ends coach Doug Marrone) to a sports bar where the Georgia Tech staff was celebrating a win over North Carolina. Bill O’Brien was part of that crew. One glance, a few laughs, and the rest was history. From a random night out to wedding bells in 1998, it’s been full-speed ever since. They’ve survived everything from NFL drama to cross-country moves and even a global pandemic, all while staying pretty dang private. Not a bad run.

Do Bill O’Brien and Colleen O’Brien Have Kids?

Oh, you bet they do. Two sons—Michael and Jack. And their story ain’t your average white-picket-fence tale. Jack, their older son, was born with lissencephaly, a rare brain disorder. That diagnosis hit hard. But it didn’t break them. It made them stronger. Bill spoke about it often during his Texans days, even citing it as one of the reasons they embraced the Houston move—because of its top-tier medical facilities. “It’s one of the best in the world,” he said about the local children’s hospital. The family’s never shied away from the reality, but they’ve always focused on giving Jack the best life possible. Meanwhile, their younger son Michael is doing just fine. The kid’s a student-athlete at Tufts University, playing baseball and carrying the O’Brien athletic gene like a champ.

Colleen has been the heartbeat of it all. She put her career dreams on pause to become a full-time caregiver and mother. And in a profession where coaches often bounce from job to job like pinballs, she’s been the constant. Bill said it best: “I have great perspective on these things. I have a fantastic wife, Colleen, and I have two young sons, one that’s special-needs, Jack, and Michael, who will be running around here very soon. And I think the most important thing in your life is your family.”

Fast forward to 2025, and Bill O’Brien is back where he belongs—leading a college football program, mentoring young players, and chasing wins in Chestnut Hill. But behind every play call, every team huddle, every fourth-down gamble? There’s Colleen. The woman who saw the funny guy at the bar in ‘95 and bet her life on him.