Thomas Brown may get a chance to coach up the No. 1 overall pick in two straight seasons.
According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero on Tuesday night, the Chicago Bears are hiring Brown as their new passing game coordinator. The 37-year-old served as the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers in 2023.
Brown was hired by Carolina last February, but did not begin the season as the play-caller. That duty initially belonged to former head coach Frank Reich, who handed the responsibility over to Brown after six weeks and then reclaimed them just three games later.
Following Reich’s firing to begin Week 13, Brown was given control of the offense for the remaining six games of the season. The Panthers and rookie quarterback Bryce Young finished with an average of 265.3 yards per game, the fewest in the NFL.
The Bears, thanks to the Panthers, are currently in possession of the 2024 draft’s first overall selection. So Brown may be preparing for University of Southern California’s Caleb Williams, the presumptive favorite for the pick.
