The Tennessee Titans have completed a virtual interview with a handful of candidates for the team's head coach position and are expected to have another series of interviews in the coming days.
So far, Tennessee has expressed interest in 10 different coaches, each with a unique background and skillset. While there are a few popular names being discussed that could bring a modernized offense to Nashville, one candidate is flying under the radar.
Here's a look at Thomas Brown, the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers who I believe is the most underrated candidate on Tennessee's interview list.
Thomas Brown - Panthers Offensive Coordinator
Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown is, in my opinion, the most underrated candidate on the market and someone I considered having even higher in my rankings for next Titans head coach.
Simply because of his affiliation with the 2-15 Panthers and their 13.9 points per game, Brown is written off by a number of fans and analysts for head coach openings this offseason. Carolina finished the year dead last in points per game (13.9), total offense (265.3), passing (161.2), and 20th in rushing (104.1)...so I can't say I blame anyone for that. But I think there's more to Thomas Brown than initially meets the eye.
Brown is a former NFL running back that has been coaching since 2011, starting as a collegiate running backs coach at UT Chattanooga, Marshall, Wisconsin, and eventually Georgia. In 2014, Brown coached Melvin Gordon to an NCAA leading 2,587 rushing yards (the 2nd highest single-season total ever). In 2015, he coached Sony Michel and Nick Chubb to a huge season in which the duo combined for 1,883 rushing yards on just 310 carries.
In 2016, Brown became the offensive coordinator at the University of Miami, a job he held for three years. The Hurricanes averaged over 30 points per game while he was there.
It was not until 2020 that Brown first made the transition to the NFL. On February 12th, 2020, Brown joined the Los Angeles Rams coaching staff as running backs coach. He was later given the additional title of assistant head coach to Sean McVay. It was there that Brown learned to be a future offensive play-caller and Super Bowl champion.
The Sean McVay offense is a perfect fit for Will Levis. The Rams love to air it out and take deep shots down the field. During his resurgent 2021 season, Matthew Stafford led all quarterbacks in air yards per attempt and completions of 30+ yards. He was 2nd in 30+ yard completions in 2023. The Rams offense is so Will Levis coded that they literally brought in his college offensive coordinator Liam Coen to be their OC in 2022, but injuries derailed the season for LA.
At the end of the 2023 season, the NFL Players Association asked over 1,700 players to rate the coordinators they play for on a scale of 1-10. Brown was rated the second highest offensive coordinator in the league behind only Frank Smith of the Miami Dolphins. His players obviously love him, which points to him being head coach material.
Brown obviously needs to prove himself as a play-caller before I'll be jumping for joy at him being the Titans' next head coach, but I definitely don't hate the idea. He's also a former running back like GM Ran Carthon and someone who is known for his ability to win over different personalities. I could see Titans decision makers loving everything about Thomas Brown, and I might even be able to get on board for him and Liam Coen potentially reuniting as an HC/OC duo in Tennessee.
More must-reads: