Former South Carolina football assistant taking over NFL offense
Things haven’t gone well for the Chicago Bears offense this season. Even with No. 1 pick Caleb Williams, the Bears have been one of the worst offenses in the league. Chicago ranks 25th in the NFL in rushing, 30th in passing, and 24th in scoring. To help fix things, on Tuesday, head coach Matt Eberflus fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. Eberflus then picked former South Carolina football assistant Thomas Brown as his successor.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the news.
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Brown, who spent the 2019 season as the Gamecocks’ running back coach, is now in his sixth year in the NFL. After leaving Columbia, he spent three years with the Los Angeles Rams where he won a Super Bowl as the team’s assistant head coach and running backs coach.
With the Bears, Brown will get his second opportunity to call plays. He spent the 2023 campaign as the offensive coordinator with the Carolina Panthers but didn’t always hold the play card; head coach Frank Reich handled those duties at various times that year. Before Waldron’s firing, Brown served as the Bears’ passing game coordinator.
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In Chicago, Brown was reunited with former South Carolina defensive tackle Zacch Pickens. Former Gamecock defensive coordinator Jon Hoke also is on the Bears’ staff as the defensive passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach.
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During his one season with the South Carolina football program, Brown worked under former USC head coach Will Muschamp and offensive coordinator Bryan McClendon. He helped coach a position group that ended up putting four players in the NFL. Tavien Feaster and Deshaun Fenwick had short stints in the league. Rico Dowdle and Kevin Harris, however, are still playing professionally for the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots, respectively.
