Thomas Brown Has An Unexpected Reputation Among NFL Players

The Chicago Bears are venturing into the unknown now. Shane Waldron has been fired. His inability to fix the offense after three weeks of not scoring finally did him in. Players weren't happy, and fans were irate. Head coach Matt Eberflus had to do something. His own seat was heating up at a frantic pace. So Waldron was out. In his place, the Bears promoted passing game coordinator Thomas Brown to the position. It marks the second time he's been asked to become the play-caller in the middle of the season, doing so last year in 2023.

That experiment didn't go too well. Carolina's offense was practically dead during the final month of the season. Then again, head coach Frank Reich didn't do any better. The Panthers were stuck with a rookie quarterback, a bad offensive line, and no credible wide receivers. One would think those struggles negatively affected Brown's reputation among NFL players.

Nope.

Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network revealed that the NFLPA surveyed players to determine the best offensive coordinators in the league. Brown came in second, behind only Miami Dolphins coordinator Frank Smith. That should tell you the type of coach and leader he is.

Thomas Brown is the polar opposite of Waldron.

The former coordinator's personality was often criticized. He was known for being passive and lacking any sort of commanding voice in the locker room. That made it difficult for him to drill the importance of details and execution into the offense, leading to constant mistakes and miscommunications. Players openly complained about it before and after he left. Well, that won't be an issue with Brown. Based on multiple sources, the young coach has no qualms about being direct with guys and is lauded for his attention to detail.

Buzz has been building for the past few years about Thomas Brown being a future head coach. When you watch him speak, it is easy to see why. He has a calm, composed demeanor but also a firm voice. His intentions are clear, as are his goals. In his presser, he told the Bears offense that there won't be any quick fixes. Attitude, hard work, and effort will be needed to turn this thing around. The task ahead is a Herculean one. Morale is low. The schedule is getting tougher.

It might be too late for Brown to stop the ship from sinking. However, he is more than ready to try anyway.