The Chicago Bears announced they fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron on Tuesday while promoting passing game coordinator Thomas Brown to the role. The Bears desperately needed a change, and although Brown will help provide a spark to the offense, it won’t entirely solve the Bears struggles.
Thomas Brown Will Help, but Not Fix Bears Offense
Reasons Why the Bears Made the Change at OC
Shane Waldron was head coach Matt Eberflus’ scapegoat for why the Bears have struggled recently. Eberflus has been the main reason why the Bears have been struggling, but Waldron definitely deserves some of the blame. The Bears have scored just 27 points in the last 34 possessions and averaging just 277.6 yards per game, the third lowest in the NFL. Brought in as a supposed “breath of fresh air” after the Luke Getsy debacle, Waldron has disappointed, struggling to utilize tight ends in the passing game, mismanaging star receivers D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen, and facing challenges with the run game early in the season. This performance led the Bears to fire an offensive coordinator midseason for the first time since 1970.
Thomas Brown’s Background
Thomas Brown, a former NFL running back whose career was unfortunately cut short by injury, began his NFL coaching journey in 2020 as the running backs coach for Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams. He quickly rose through the ranks, earning a promotion to assistant head coach. After three seasons with the Rams, Brown moved on to become the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, where he eventually took over play-calling duties following HC Frank Reich’s dismissal in an attempt to turn around a lost season. The Bears then hired him as their passing game coordinator in the offseason—a highly underrated move, especially given that Brown was voted the No. 2 offensive coordinator in an NFLPA survey last season.
Have Patience With Thomas Brown, Bears Fans
Throwing Thomas Brown into the offensive coordinator role midseason with a fractured locker room and an underperforming coaching staff is a tall order. Bears fans shouldn’t expect him to completely turn around the offense, but he’s sure to inject some much-needed energy. Bears linebacker and team captain T.J. Edwards spoke highly of Brown:
“The dude is an absolute workhorse. He’s a hands-on guy who wants to see everything that the players are seeing, a guy who truly loves what he does. I know that he’s going to bring some juice.”
And this is coming from a defensive player. It was time for a change on offense, and Brown will bring just that. The main issue has been the fact that the Bears have instilled this stigma that throwing an interception is the worst thing in the world, but it’s not. Part of a rookie quarterback’s development hinges on the fact that they should be able to test the boundaries. It doesn’t make sense for a quarterback of Caleb Williams’ talent to be held back due to being afraid of turning the ball over. Brown shares this mindset, saying, “You can’t be scared to throw the football and take chances. You would never make any plays.”
While Brown will certainly support Williams and provide a boost on offense, this won’t magically transform the Bears into an elite unit. The team has deeper issues to address, including potential changes for head coach Matt Eberflus, offensive line coach Chris Morgan, and even GM Ryan Poles. If the Bears want to get out of the endless cycle of mediocrity, at least they are starting small with firing Shane Waldron and appointing Brown as the OC.
Bears OC Thomas Brown talking about his offensive identity & philosophy
I like it. Sounds like a true leader with a strong sense of what he wants to accomplish offensively. pic.twitter.com/YTMHxW0AC3
— Bearsszn (@bearssznn) November 13, 2024
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Main Image: Bob Donnan – USA Today Sports
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