Here’s what new Bears offensive coordinator Thomas Brown has said about Caleb Williams, Bears offense

Shane Waldron is out.

The Chicago Bears fired their offensive coordinator on Tuesday, a day after head coach Matt Eberflus promised there would be changes for his offense. Waldron exits after only nine games in the position. The Bears haven’t scored a touchdown in the past two games and rookie quarterback Caleb Williams hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass since Oct. 13 in London.

In steps Thomas Brown. The Bears promoted the 38-year-old Brown from passing game coordinator to offensive coordinator on Tuesday.

“Thomas is a bright offensive mind who has experience calling plays with a collaborative mindset,” Eberflus said in a statement released by the team. “I look forward to his leadership over our offensive coaching staff and his plan for our players.”

Brown has experience in the role. He served as the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers in 2023. Brown has called plays on game day before. He did so for several games under Panthers head coach Frank Reich last season, then continued to do so after the Panthers fired Reich 11 games into the season.

Before his one season in Carolina, Brown worked under Sean McVay with the Los Angeles Rams from 2020-22, holding several different titles, including assistant head coach. He also coached running backs and tight ends at various points. Before that, he coached at the college level for about a decade. Brown also is a former running back at Georgia and briefly in the NFL.

Now, Brown is tasked with figuring out how to fix the Bears’ offense.

He’s in an unenviable position. Brown is the 10th Bears offensive coordinator since 2010. None of those previous nine OCs lasted more than two seasons. The last OC to make it beyond two seasons in Chicago was Ron Turner from 2005-09.

Brown is an up-and-coming coach who players seem to like. An NFL Players Association survey from last year ranked Brown as the No. 2 offensive coordinator in the league, despite the Panthers’ performance.

Bears fans, rightfully so, might be a little more skeptical. They’ve seen their team blow through coordinator after coordinator, and the 2023 Panthers aren’t exactly a high mark for offensive football.

Brown’s Panthers ranked 32nd in total yards and 32nd in passing yards last season with rookie quarterback Bryce Young. They were 20th in rushing and 30th in sack rate. They averaged a league-worst 13.9 points per game.

For all intents and purposes, the coaching staff and front office around Young – the 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick – failed the rookie. He had few proven weapons to throw to, and his offensive line was a disaster.

A year later, Brown has another No. 1 overall draft pick at quarterback. Thanks to Carolina’s futility, the Bears landed Williams with the top pick.

Brown interviewed for the vacant Bears offensive coordinator position in January but lost out to Waldron. The Bears, however, were happy to land Brown in a lower position. As passing game coordinator, he was heavily involved in working with Williams and building this offense.

Now, he will be the man in control.

As passing game coordinator, Brown met with members of the media for brief sessions every other week during the season. Here’s some of what he had to say about Williams, the offense and his past experiences.

On takeaways from last year with Bryce Young

Brown (on June 12): “I wouldn’t say it’s one takeaway. There’s probably a thousand takeaways. But not just from last year, but every year I’ve had. Having the chance to be the OC at the University of Miami a couple years ago [2016-18], pulling from some of those experiences. I know it sounds redundant, like a coach conversation, but every situation is different, so being able to draw upon those experiences, my background.”

On Shane Waldron

Brown (on June 12): “Shane was a big reason for me wanting to come in once I was given the offer because I worked with Shane before back in 2020 [with the Rams]. But just how he delivers information, being able to be open to feedback from the entire staff was a big thing for me when it comes to us kind of working collectively together, but also just the balance of understanding how to have fun with the staff and also with the players when it comes to continuity and keeping it on the same page. I would say one of the biggest things is philosophically, being able to find an area where we kind of align. We’re not the same at all, we kind of have some different processes, it’s always going to be great.”

On why Caleb Williams will succeed

Brown (on Aug. 7): “I think the biggest predictor for future success is past success. So watching him in college, how he operates. I’ve seen every day, it’s not live [during training camp], but seeing him operate from a team-setting standpoint and see him [operate] when our defense is really good and escape the pocket is a pretty good indicator.”

Do you look at what other teams did with successful rookies like CJ Stroud?

Brown (on Sept. 12): “Not really. Everything is different when it comes to the player – one, what they can do, their capabilities, but also setup. This is probably one of the better setups we’ve had around a rookie quarterback when you have a ton of weapons, from a receiver standpoint, two talented tight ends, obviously [D’Andre] Swift in the backfield, plus the other backs. [It’s] being able to understand what works well for that player, bringing him along, and what helps your team win is the most important thing.”

On keeping the QB focused during hard times

Brown (Sept. 26): “You ignore everything outside this building, is a big part of it. I think we play a great game, the greatest game in the world, in my opinion. Fans are phenomenal. Media’s phenomenal. But it’s also understanding we have a job to do, and that should be the focus, day in, day out. And also understanding when it comes to success, when you’re successful everybody loves you and tells you how great you are, and when you’re not, they tell you how bad you are, how much you [stink]. So I think being able to understand how to keep your head down, continue to go grind.”

On Williams’ progress so far

Brown (Oct. 10): “No matter how talented you are – and he’s super talented, a guy who works his [butt] off – he’s still a rookie in the NFL. We’re talking about having to understand and read NFL defenses, understand a new playbook and adjust to new environments, the crowd noise, different teammates. I would say it’s a normal progression so far.”