After watching the Chicago Bears fall flat against the San Francisco 49ers last week, most fans didn’t take long to reach their verdict on interim coach Thomas Brown. While they appreciate what he’s tried to do holding a collapsing house together, he probably isn’t the answer for them as head coach. Not at this time, anyway. They need a fresh voice with a new vision for the organization to come in here. However, that doesn’t change the fact that many inside Halas Hall love him.
That may explain the recent report from Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. According to what he’s heard, the Bears are considering several avenues with their coaching staff. Brown will get an interview for the top job, but in the event that he isn’t the choice, which appears likely, there is an undercurrent of support for the idea of asking the next head coach whether they might be willing to keep him as offensive coordinator. This would give quarterback Caleb Williams some much-needed continuity.
Retaining Thomas Brown would be tricky.
It isn’t the first time the Bears have thought about keeping an assistant from one staff to the next. George Halas kept Buddy Ryan as defensive coordinator when Mike Ditka arrived. That led to a contentious relationship between the two of them, but it also created loads of success on the field. Chicago tried again in 2013, hoping to keep Rod Marinelli as defensive coordinator alongside Marc Trestman. That didn’t work out. Marinelli resigned and left for Dallas
Would Thomas Brown be willing to stay? It would likely depend on who the next head coach is. His relationship with Williams appears good. The two certainly have found some success lately. In the four games they’ve worked together, the quarterback has completed 65% of his passes for 967 yards, seven touchdowns, and no interceptions. It isn’t hard to see why the Bears might want to maintain that relationship.
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This is how Chris Morgan is still employed. Let the man for once pick his own staff. That would be the most un-Bears thing ever, I know.
@Sam Brown should be calling basic bland plays. To call creative offense, players have to be coached for years, not days. That is what is so pathetic, that the Bears haven’t coached any position to any technique more than “basic” which they just want run harder and faster with more “HITS.” From the line play to “skill” positions, everything has been “basic” since before Trubisky. Watch Sean McVay call for multiple levels, multiple options, multiple looks – with 1st, 2nd, 3rd string players. Fields NEVER had those options, and everyone said he. couldn’t pull the trigger. Jay Cutler had more… Read more »
I love the idea. It would allow the Bears to get an established coach, but also consider hiring more experienced offensive minds behind Thomas Brown. Miami did this with Darrell Bevell and Raiders did that with hiring Philbin behind Getsy. (Which is why they were able to fire Luke Getsy and get Scott Turner as offensive coordinator with Norv and Philbin behind him.
Coordinating isn’t just about calling plays, but knowing that players are trained to the techniques you are calling. When jet sweeps are called, but receivers aren’t coached to block, you have Getsy’s “wide zone.”
There must be a Laffer Curve to rationalize the retention of Brown in some capacity whether deserved or not. Calling the University of Chicago, for expert cover.
If Ben Johnson, or another offensive coach is hired I doubt Brown will want to stay on as OC because he won’t call plays. We already know Flores would want Dabol. Maybe Vrabel would consider Brown. The Bears always want to do weird shit that no other team does, and then are confused why this team always sucks. Let the next coach decide his assistants and stay TF out of it. If the coach wants Brown cool, if not, just let it go. It’s not like Brown has an innovative offense. His offense is rather bland and basic. He does… Read more »