Enter, Thomas Brown: What the Chicago Bears offensive coordinator said on taking over the offense
LAKE FOREST, Ill. - In the usual schedule at Halas Hall, the Chicago Bears have the routine set where the team's coordinators speak on Thursday afternoon.
First, defensive coordinator Eric Washington, followed by offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and then special teams coordinator Richard Hightower.
Routines changed a bit this week.
With news coming Tuesday that Waldron was fired, and Thomas Brown was promoted to offensive coordinator, Brown spoke after head coach Matt Eberflus on Wednesday.
He spoke about how he won't be the biggest factor that will change the Bears' trajectory, but wants to steer the team in the right possible way.
"This will not be a one-man show," Brown said as part of his opening statement. "I'm excited to kind of work and collaborate with our entire staff and our players to fix the problems that we do have. I had a great conversation yesterday with Caleb (Williams) about my thoughts moving forward, issues to fix and just had a phenomenal walkthrough. Guys were upbeat, moving around, being able the details."
Eberflus complimented Brown's energy, passion and tenacity. Brown credited his mentors for instilling those intangibles. Brown mentioned mentors by name in Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, Carolina Panthers offensive assistant Jim Caldwell and former Wisconsin offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 17: Offensive coordinator Thomas Brown of the Carolina Panthers reacts before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium on December 17, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halv
It helps that Brown has experience as a playcaller from his time in Carolina where he worked with No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young. Although, Brown doesn't want to compare to separate situations.
"The scenarios between Carolina here, I don't correlate at all," Brown said. "I have done it before."
Brown looks to bring those qualities to the Bears' offense which is in dire need of direction.
On Wednesday, Brown offered some idea for that direction. The Bears offense has to utilize some structure, and that starts in on phase of plays.
"Everything to me starts up front, it starts with the run game," Brown said. "How we attack. A knock-it-forward mentality."
From the first set of meetings with Brown as the new playcaller, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams saw the path forward with Brown calling the shots. Specifically, it starts with simplifying things.
"We’ll do a good job of marrying up together," Williams said. "We’ll get a few easier passes, a few easier layups. It’ll help us in the pass game."
The plays and verbiage for those plays remains the same. Brown isn't adding anything new to the offense that already exists, which is an offense Brown has experience with from his time working with Waldron and McVay in Los Angeles.
With a simpler passing game, Brown can focus on getting the ball to the players who need it in their hands.
"At this point when it comes to what we are in season, you can't reinvent the wheel," Brown said. "It's about trying to find the best way to be effective with our playmakers."
Still, Brown is realistic. This isn't something that will fix itself or fix overnight.
"I'm not really looking into quick fixes," Brown said. "I want long-term solutions to kind of get us going in the right direction."
This is the first time the Bears have changed offensive coordinators during the middle of the season since the franchise designated its first offensive coordinator in 1970.
The change needed to happen, Eberflus concluded. Now, Brown brings a new voice and energy to the offense.
Brown still made sure to bring the human element to his first day on the job as offensive coordinator, replacing a coach he met back in Los Angeles that helped him get acclimated to the NFL.
"I met Shane back in 2020 first working with Rams. He was phenomenal to me and my family," Brown said. "I want to say thank you to him."
Now, the Bears' offense is Brown's show moving forward. After being asked about realistic expectations for improving the offense, he said he doesn't feel pressure is a bad thing.
In the NFL, pressure comes with the league.
"As far as the pressure goes, pressure to me is a privilege," Brown said. "If you don’t want that, you should probably do something else."