Well, this is an interesting report out of Carolina. Panthers beat reporter Joe Person (yes, that’s a real person, I’ve met him) reported that Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown is meeting with the Bears about their vacant OC job.
According to Person, Brown will meet with the Bears today about a potential lateral move from Carolina to Chicago. Brown is also interviewing for the Tennessee Titans head coaching position this week. Peeling away a current OC from a team when he has head coaching interview requests on the books would be impressive.
Getting to Know Bears Offensive Coordinator Candidates: Shane Waldron | Klint Kubiak | Liam Coen | Greg Olson | Greg Roman
Who is Thomas Brown?
Brown is a former NFL player turned coach. He was part of the Rams’ offense that won the Super Bowl LVI in 2021. Before joining the Rams, Brown coached at various universities, including the University of South Carolina, Miami Hurricanes, and the University of Georgia.
He coached running backs such as Sony Michel, Nick Chubb, Melvin Gordon, Mark Walton, and Travis Homer. Brown’s teams consistently had successful rushing attacks, ranking among the top rushing offenses in the league.
During his playing career, Brown was selected in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons and spent the 2009 season with the Cleveland Browns.
Brown joined Frank Reich’s staff in Carolina last offseason and was a highly-regarded Sean McVay disciple.
Why would Thomas Brown consider a lateral hire with the Bears?
While Brown is still technically employed by the Panthers, they’ve interviewed mostly offensive-minded head coaches who will likely assume play-calling duties or want to bring in their own offensive coordinator, leaving Brown the odd man out in Carolina.