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Former South Carolina assistant joining New England Patriots staff

by:Kevin Miller•01/27/25•

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New England Patriots assistant coach Thomas Brown when he was with the South Carolina football program. Photo by: GamecockCentral
New England Patriots assistant coach Thomas Brown when he was with the South Carolina football program. Photo by: GamecockCentral

Former South Carolina football assistant coach Thomas Brown is joining the New England Patriots, per a report from MassLive.com’s Mark Daniels. He will be the team’s tight ends coach and passing game coordinator.

Brown spent the 2024 season with the Chicago Bears. He began the season as the team’s passing game coordinator. However, when head coach Matt Eberflus fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, he tabbed Brown as his team’s new OC. Later in the year, the Bears fired Eberflus, too, and Brown took over as interim head coach.

Following the Bears’ hiring of former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their new headman, Brown was out of a job. With a coach as in-demand as Brown, though, his unemployment lasted less than a week.

With the Patriots, Brown joins head coach Mike Vrabel’s staff. He is one of several offensive assistants in New England with head coaching experience (though, his came with an “interim” tag). Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and offensive line coach Doug Marrone also have led NFL teams previously.

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During his time with South Carolina football, Brown made a significant impact. He spent just one year in Columbia, but Brown coached a strong running game that got contributions from Rico Dowdle, Tavien Feaster, Kevin Harris, Mon Denson, Deshaun Fenwick, and AJ Turner. He helped coach four of those players to the NFL, three of whom are still active. Rico Dowdle rushed for over 1000 yards this season for the Dallas Cowboys. Kevin Harris spent four years with the New England Patriots but is now a free agent. Fenwick was with New England in 2024, too, but is a free agent at this time.

Since leaving the Gamecocks for the NFL, Brown also coached with the Los Angeles Rams and Carolina Panthers.

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