The New England Patriots have conducted their first known coaching staff interview since hiring Mike Vrabel earlier this week.
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the team interviewed Thomas Brown for their offensive coordinator position. Said interview reportedly happened on Tuesday.
Brown spent 2024 with the Chicago Bears—and went through two title changes in the process. After the team parted ways with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron in mid-November, then-head coach Matt Eberflus promoted Brown to take over OC duties in the interim. The Bears then fired Eberflus just 17 days later, and named Brown their interim head coach.
The #Patriots spent this past Tuesday interviewing #Bears interim coach and OC Thomas Brown for their vacant OC job under new coach Mike Vrabel, sources say.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 17, 2025
Chicago's offense ranked dead last in the NFL last season in terms of yards-per-game (284.6). They also tied for 29th in points per game (18.2).
The 37-year-old originates from Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay's coaching tree. He worked on the Rams' staff from 2020 to '22 as a running backs coach ('20, '21), assistant head coach ('21, '22), and tight ends coach ('22). Brown was then hired as the Carolina Panthers' offensive coordinator in 2023 under head coach Frank Reich.
Brown is the first known candidate to interview for the Patriots' offensive coordinator job under Vrabel. He interviewed for the position last season as well before the team ultimately hired Alex Van Pelt. Under Van Pelt's watch in 2024, New England gained just 291.9 yards per game (31st) and scored just 17 points per game (30th).
To Van Pelt's credit, he was instrumental in the on-field development of rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Patriots Interview Bears Interim HC Thomas Brown For Offensive Coordinator Position.
