Thomas Brown will seek his third job in three seasons after the Bears hired Ben Johnson as head coach. Mandatory author: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images New Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson will not retain interim coach and offensive coordinator Thomas Brown.
Brown has interviewed for a role with the Seattle Seahawks, who fired Ryan Grubb after one season.
Brown was promoted twice by the Bears in 2024, from passing coordinator to offensive coordinator and then to the interim coaching role when Matt Eberflus was fired in November.
Bears team president Kevin Warren stated late in the season that Brown would be a candidate to remain head coach. But a different reality emerged at Johnson’s introductory news conference Wednesday at Halas Hall.
Team president George McCaskey revealed there was always a candidate — Johnson, who has been the Lions’ offensive coordinator for three seasons and on Detroit’s coaching staff since 2019 — based on his football staff’s preferences.
“(GM) Ryan (Polish) says, ‘This is the guy we want,’ and I said, ‘Go get him,'” McCaskey summarized Wednesday.
Brown and Johnson are the same age (38) with very different degrees of success calling plays. The Bears finished last (32nd) in total offense in 2024, but Brown pushed rookie draft pick Caleb Williams to consistently positive results.
Brown went 1-4 as head coach of the Bears and beat the Packers in his last game in January.
In addition to Brown, the Seahawks have interviewed Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley, Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Vikings assistant OC and quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski for their OC role.
Brown played running back at Georgia and was drafted by the Falcons in 2008 before beginning his college coaching career. He worked for Georgia, Wisconsin, Miami and the College of Charleston, joining Sean McVay as an offensive assistant with the Rams after one season as the offensive coordinator at South Carolina.
Brown was hired as the Panthers’ offensive coordinator in 2023 but moved on after Carolina made another coaching change.
The Athletic reported Thursday that in addition to Brown, the Bears parted ways with defensive coordinator Eric Washington, interim OC and wide receivers coach Chris Beatty, offensive line coach Chris Morgan and QBs coach Kerry Joseph.
–Field Level Media
