Bill O’Brien isn’t buying the notion that Boston College football has been starved of support.
That pushback came after a national report from The Athletic placed the Eagles near the bottom of the Power Four in estimated roster spending for 2026, pegging BC at between $8 million and $13 million. That was the lowest range among the Power Four programs included, with Duke next at an estimated $12 million to $15 million. The report said those estimates account for revenue sharing, booster support and other program-controlled money, while leaving out some outside endorsement income.
Speaking on WEEI, O’Brien said the financial backing he’s seen since arriving in Chestnut Hill has only grown.
"I think the support financially has increased every year that I've been here," O'Brien said as he continues his third season in Chestnut Hill.
The conversation also touched on the transition from former university president William P. Leahy to new president John "Jack" Butler, and what that could mean for the football program. Leahy developed a reputation in the Boston College community for being resistant to changes in college sports, and O’Brien said he still felt backed during Leahy’s tenure.
"I felt very supported by Father Leahy," O'Brien said. He also pointed to one issue that has followed Boston College football for years: turnover at important positions around the program.
Butler took over as university president in July, and O’Brien views that change as another potential lift for the Eagles. Butler has a reputation for being pro-athletics, and O’Brien noted his long connection to the football program through his role as chaplain.
"I know that Father Jack wants to win," O'Brien said. "Father Jack was the football team chaplain for, I think, 15 years, and I'm convinced that he wants to win, and so I feel very supported by Father Jack."
O’Brien also questioned where the reported spending figures came from, suggesting they likely came from "industry sources, agents, and all that." Boston College is a private university and typically does not disclose numbers tied to athlete compensation, which makes the report harder to pin down from the outside.
He and athletic director Blake James have both talked about Boston College moving to "full revenue sharing" this season, something that would seem to put the program above the range cited in the report. O’Brien said the report’s claim that BC is last is wrong.
"I would just tell you that it's the equivalent of Wake and Pitt, which is still, you know, it's low," O'Brien said, but not last.
Even with that disagreement, O’Brien made clear the roster still needs more help. He said Boston College remains short on third-party NIL connections, and that building the roster to the next level will require more of those opportunities.
He also noted how difficult that can be in a professional sports town. Still, with Butler now in charge, O’Brien sounded convinced the program’s push to win will remain a priority.
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