According to Bears coach Matt Eberflus, Thomas Brown brings passion, energy, tenacity, toughness and collaboration to his new role as offensive coordinator.
"You could certainly see that yesterday during the game-planning phase of using all the minds and everybody there," Eberflus said Wednesday. "I thought that was excellent to see with those guys working together to get to the best answers for our first- and second-down game-planning and our third down working into today."
In his first season as Bears passing game coordinator, Brown was elevated to offensive coordinator Tuesday after Shane Waldron was relieved of his duties. Brown boasts 13 years of coaching experience, including the previous four in the NFL as a Rams assistant (2020-22) and Panthers offensive coordinator (2023).
Brown's primary responsibility will be to reignite an offense that's quarterbacked by rookie Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. After scoring five touchdowns in back-to-back games for the first time since 1956, the unit has mustered just two TDs in its last three contests.
"Excited about the opportunity," Brown said. "This will not be a one-man show. I'm excited to work and collaborate with our entire staff and our players to fix the problems we do have. Had a great conversation yesterday with Caleb about my thoughts moving forward, issues to fix, and just had a phenomenal walk-through. Guys were upbeat, moving around, being really detailed."
Brown believes that preparation is the key to success in any endeavor.
"It starts every day when you walk in the building," he said. "What I said to the team today and to our offensive staff and players is two things you control when you walk in the building: it's your effort and your attitude. It starts there first. How we approach the meetings, being detailed, being locked in and transferring that to the actual practice field, being intentional about the walk-through, but also making practice as hard as humanly possible so the game can somewhat become easier. To me, that's going to be our focus. That's what we're locked in on and so understanding that practice and preparation always leads to game day execution, that's our focus."
While the Bears won't drastically alter their playbook, Eberflus expects Brown to creatively put playmakers in open spaces with the ball in their hands.
"I think at this point, when it comes to where we are in the season, you can't reinvent the wheel," Brown said. "I'm not going to try to do that at all.
"It's about being able to try and find the best way to be effective with our playmakers, to be able to mirror what we do with our formation and motion standpoint. Everything for me starts up front, starts with the run game, how we attack, knock it forward mentality and we will build off that."
Brown said he spoke to Williams about aspects of his game he can improve.
"It was all a positive conversation," Brown said. "He was receptive to it. Talked about what he can fix and be better for our offense. Quarterback's the most difficult position, so we've got to be better all around him. But it also starts with how we coach it, being more detailed, being more demanding with not just him but also the entire staff as well."
Eberflus told reporters that players have voiced their frustrations to him about the offense's inability to generate touchdowns.
"They just want to do more," Eberflus said, "They want to be more productive. More effective. Score points for our football team. Just do more as a group and then more individually in terms of helping the group. It was always in a winning way, a respectful way. It was always in that light. And to me, it was really good to see that they really wanted to get better."
Williams is confident that Brown will help get the offense back on track.
"I think we'll do a good job of marrying everything up together, making everything look the same," Williams said. "And then from there, you'll get a few easier passes, a few extra layups. I think it'll help us in the run game. I think it'll help us in the pass game being able to do that. And then I think from there it provides a little bit more explosiveness for us an offense and being able to help out the complementary football thing that we really want to attack."
Other members of the offense also believe in Brown.
"I appreciate how direct he is," said tight end Cole Kmet. "When you ask him something about a route or a blocking concept, he's to the point and direct about it in terms of what's expected and what he wants from it. That was made clear in the meeting today and in the walk-through. He wants it done a certain way and there's no leeway on it. It's done one way and that's how you do it, and I think that makes it clear for the players as to what's expected, and it makes it a little bit easier to go out and do your job."
"Everybody in here loves 'TB,'" said veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis. "He's a guy that brings it every day, and he's one of those dudes if you're not having your best day, just running into him, it can change that. The energy is infectious. Even in weeks before when he did his presentation on situational football stuff, you can tell he's just a sharp dude, he knows what he's talking about. I expect nothing but good things out of him."
With Brown coordinating the offense, Eberflus believes that significant change is possible.
"That's what we're looking for," said the Bears coach. "We want an efficient, effective offense from the run game to the screen game to the play-action pass, drop-back pass, from A to Z. I know if we put our minds together and everybody works together, we'll get that done."
