Nov 2, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; A New England Patriots helmet sits on game day equipment before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Cardinals Request HC Interview With Fast-Rising Patriots Assistant

Originally posted on Arizona Cardinals on SI
By Donnie Druin | Last updated Jan 6, 2026 7:35 PM ET

The Arizona Cardinals' list of coaching candidates is seemingly growing by the minute, and their latest addition to the list might be the least known but perhaps most intriguing option.

According to NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe, the Cardinals are requesting to interview New England Patriots passing game coordinator Thomas Brown for their head coach vacancy.

"Cardinals have requested to interview Patriots passing game coordinator Thomas Brown for their head coach job, per source. Brown has a huge part of Patriots 2025 turnaround. He has playcalling and interim HC experience along with learning under Sean McVay & Mike Vrabel."

Cardinals have requested to interview Patriots passing game coordinator Thomas Brown for their head coach job, per source.

Brown has a huge part of Patriots 2025 turnaround. He has playcalling and interim HC experience along with learning under Sean McVay & Mike Vrabel. pic.twitter.com/sMPaIYBlDe
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) January 6, 2026

The Cardinals fired Jonathan Gannon yesterday and have requested to interview the likes of Robert Saleh, Vance Joseph, Klint Kubiak and Anthony Weaver.

John Harbaugh's agent didn't directly say the Cardinals reached out after the Baltimore Ravens fired him, though he did mention seven teams contacted him. Including Baltimore now, there are seven openings across the league.

More on Thomas Brown

Brown has NFL coaching experience dating back to 2020 when he broke into the league as the Los Angeles Rams' running backs coach. He climbed the ranks under Sean McVay until accepting a job as the Carolina Panthers' offensive coordinator in 2023.

After head coach Frank Reich was fired in Carolina, Brown accepted a job as the Chicago Bears' passing game coordinator in 2024 and was handed interim head coach duties after Shane Waldron was fired by the Bears.

He joined the Patriots' staff as their passing game coordinator and tight ends coach under head coach Mike Vrabel, and like Wolfe suggested, he's been credited as a big reason for New England's turnaround.

The Patriots have the league's fourth-best passing offense at 250.5 yards per game with quarterback Drake Maye a heavy candidate to win the league's MVP award.

Though he's not the most prominent name, Brown's ties to McVay and recent success with New England on top of his interim head coach experience does make a nice resume.

Brown, 39, also fits the mold as a younger offensive mind, which is where a lot of the league is trending towards when hiring new head coaches.

After Gannon's experiment with a largely youthful and inexperienced staff, it will be interesting to see which path the Cardinals take.

However, if they're looking to upgrade the offensive side of the ball, Brown seems to be worth considering.