Bears add highly respected assistant coach to offensive staff

The 2024 hiring cycle in the NFL continues to be one of the most notable cycles in recent memory and the Chicago Bears are taking advantage of that once again.

According to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears are expected to hire former Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown as their new passing game coordinator.

Brown will join head coach Matt Eberflus and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron's staff in Chicago that's shaping out to be a solid coaching staff.

Brown received heavy interest from numerous teams during the 2023 and 2024 hiring cycles. Prior to landing with the Bears, Brown also interviewed for the Tennessee Titans head coaching vacancy, the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator vacancy and the Bears offensive coordinator position before Chicago hired Waldron.

Last cycle, Brown interviewed for the Houston Texans head coach vacancy, the Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator vacancy, and the Washington Commanders offensive coordinator vacancy prior to joining the Panthers on former head coach Frank Reich's coaching staff.

Brown began is NFL coaching career with the Los Angeles Rams in 2020 as the running backs coach on Sean McVay's coaching staff. The next season he was named the assistant head coach and running backs coach and held that position until he departed for the Panthers' position in 2023. Brown and Waldron spent the 2020 season together in Los Angeles with Waldron serving as McVay's passing game coordinator. 

According to a survey conducted by the NFL Player's Association where NFL players were asked to rate the best offensive, defensive, and special teams coordinators around the league, Brown was recognized as the second-highest rated offensive coordinator behind only Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith. 

Brown lands with the Bears as a highly sought after and highly respected offensive mind. The Bears have also added two other highly respected coaches to Waldron's offensive staff in Kerry Joseph as the quarterbacks coach and Chris Beatty as the wide receivers coach. Joesph worked under Pete Carroll's staff with the Seattle Seahawks alongside Waldron while Beatty spent the last three seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Brown had a frustrating season with the Panthers in 2023, but his interest from other teams this cycle truly proves his real value as a coach in the NFL. The Panthers' offense ranked last in total yards per game, points per game, and passing yards per game during the 2023 season and struggled to help rookie quarterback Bryce Young transition into the NFL. However, the coaching staff was filled with tons of confusion after changing play callers multiple times that ultimately led to the removal of Reich as the Panthers' head coach.

Brown is ready to get back on his feet on the Bears new offensive coaching staff in a role with less pressure and complications compared to his previous season with the Panthers. Alongside Waldron and Joesph, Brown will be working to help build around either Justin Fields or a rookie quarterback during the 2024 season.

According to Senior NFL Reporter Albert Breer, the Bears offensive coordinator position was a "highly coveted" position by candidates and the same can clearly be said about the other assistant coaching positions on the Bears' offensive staff.