Thomas Brown saw a brief but meteoric rise in his NFL coaching star during the 2024 season. On November 12th, he was promoted from passing game coordinator to interim offensive coordinator following the dismissal of Shane Waldron . Less than three weeks later, he was promoted again to interim head coach following the historic midseason firing of Matt Eberflus. Now, NFL insider Tom Pelissero has confirmed that the Bears will interview Brown for the full-time job on Monday.
Brown went 1-4 as the interim head coach, allowing a six-game losing streak to reach ten before ending the season with a win over the Green Bay Packers, their first victory over their arch-rival since 2018 and their first in Lambeau field since 2015.
Thomas Brown may be a good offensive coordinator, but he's not ready for the rigors of a head coaching job.
During Brown's brief stint as interim offensive coordinator, Bears fans let their imaginations run wild. He got the offense back on track, had rookie quarterback Caleb Williams producing impressive numbers, and energized the team. Some considered that maybe the head coach of Chicago's future was already in the building, and Brown's run as the interim head coach was viewed by many as an extended interview for the job.
Then came Brown's tenure as the interim coach.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan coached circles around Brown as the Bears lost to San Francisco 38-13. In their next three games, the offense put up a combined 32 points, including a humiliating 6-3 loss to Seattle on Thursday Night Football. Brown did lead the Bears to a dramatic win over Green Bay to end the season on a high note, but that was, at best, a cherry on top of a melting, sugar-free sundae.
This is not to say that Brown should never be considered for a head coaching job. He showed real promise as an offensive play-caller while focusing on his craft in the booth. Maybe with more experience, he can handle the additional responsibilities of being the top dog. But he is clearly not ready for the job right now, and the Bears are in no position to take risks with their next head coach.
And before Bears fans ask, no, this interview would not satisfy the Rooney Rule because Brown is not an external candidate. This is likely more of a professional courtesy, a chance for mutual feedback about what went right, what went wrong, and what improvements could be made, and nothing more.
