Getting to Know: Bears offensive coordinator Thomas Brown |
In what was a long-awaited move, the Chicago Bears finally shook up their coaching staff as they parted ways with now-former OC Shane Waldron earlier this morning. Waldron was the second OC hire since Matt Eberflus took over as Bears head coach three years ago, and much like Luke Getsy, it was a colossal failure across the board.
Waldron came from the Seahawks, where he was credited for the resurgence of Geno Smith while also having the Seahawks offense ranked in the middle of the pack. He then comes to Chicago with a once-in-a-generation prospect in Caleb Williams at QB and an embarrassment of riches when you look at the offensive weapons across the board. What was expected to be an exciting season has become a nightmare as the Bears have dropped their last three games with an offense that has fallen near the bottom of the league in most categories. Eberflus wasn't given much of a choice if this team wants to salvage its season. With the hardest remaining schedule in the NFL, the Bears are indeed going in a different direction, as they have promoted Passing Game Coordinator Thomas Brown to the offensive coordinator position for the rest of the season. Brown was brought to this staff based on his relationship with Waldron during their time in Los Angeles, and he will now be taking over for his former boss. When you talk to the league and all of the players who have worked with Brown in the past, they would all describe him as an energetic coach, which is something this team needs. He is also a personal guy and takes the time to get to know his players inside and out while building the coach/player relationships you look for. That will be crucial in trying to fix Williams as he is the future of this franchise, but he appears broken under center right now. Returning to his time with the Rams, many of Sean McVay's assistants are highly regarded to the point where they take on coordinator jobs or even get head coaching offers. Brown followed that trend, as he did receive an interview for the Houston Texans opening last season before the job ultimately went to DeMeco Ryans. That alone is worth noting, as you don't get offered a head coaching interview unless you have built up quite a coaching profile along the way. These quotes from McVay says all you need to know about Brown and how he felt about him while he was on his staff. "He’s one of the greatest competitors I’ve ever been around. That’s why he’s also the assistant head coach.” “He’s always had the big-picture perspective. He’s really attacked that role with the right mindset and mentality.” “Very matter of fact. Secure of himself. Very demanding of his guys.” After not getting the job with the Texans, Brown intended to stay on the Rams staff as the passing game coordinator until Frank Reich offered him the Offensive Coordinator job with the Panthers, which Brown accepted. Looking at how the Panthers performed last season, one would think that Brown was part of the offensive issues, but you can't put the blame solely on him, as Carolina was a dumpster fire last season. For what it's worth, second-year man Bryce Young had a career day against the Packers last season when he threw for 312 pass yards, two touchdowns with no interceptions, and a 110.0 passer rating. Ironically, the Packers are the Bears' next opponent, and Eberflus elected to make this change now. Perhaps he hopes Brown can infuse some life into Williams so that he could duplicate that type of performance against the Packers. While no one is expecting that, Brown does have tons of experience not only working with a rookie quarterback but also with a rookie quarterback who appears broken, as Young had a rough go of things last year. With Brown being the passing game coordinator before his promotion, there are some concerns when you look at how poorly the passing game has looked, but at least Williams knows Brown enough to put enough faith in him. Making this move now may not be a long-term decision, but it wasn't taken lightly, even if it made the most sense. The Bears need to get this offense back on track, and should they show improvement and signs of life over the final eight games, you could see a scenario where Brown remains the OC in Chicago or gets another opportunity elsewhere. New #Bears OC Thomas Brown says he will call plays from the coaches’ booth.
