The Bears added another name to their exhaustive offensive coordinator search Wednesday when they interviewed Carolina Panthers' offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, a source confirmed to NBC Sports Chicago. The Athletic's Joe Person was first to report the interview.
Brown, 37, previously spent three years on Sean McVay's staff with the Los Angeles Rams prior to becoming the Panthers' offensive coordinator this season under head coach Frank Reich.
The Panthers' offense struggled this past season, finishing 32nd in total offense, 32nd in passing, and 20th in rushing.
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Brown was dealt a tough hand during his lone season in Carolina. Rookie quarterback Bryce Young struggled from start to finish, the Panthers had the worst skill group in the NFL, and their offensive line failed to keep Young clean.
Brown also didn't start the season as the Panthers' play-caller. Reich called the plays for the first six games before handing the duties over to Brown after the Panthers' 0-6 start. Reich took back the duties less than a month later after the Panthers' Week 10 loss to the Bears at Soldier Field. Brown resumed play-calling duties after Reich was dismissed as head coach two weeks later.
Brown is also slated to interview for the Tennessee Titans' open head coaching position.
CHICAGO BEARS
He was ranked as the No. 2 offensive coordinator in the end-of-season NFL Players Association survey, which says his players still believed in him and what he was doing despite the rocky season.
The Bears continue to look at the Shanahan/McVay trees as they search for a replacement for the recently fired Luke Getsy.
The Bears have interviewed Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, San Francisco 49ers pass game coordinator Klint Kubiak, Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen, Seahawks quarterback coach Greg Olson, and former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
Roman is the only one of the six not attached to the Shanahan tree -- four of the six have spent time working under McVay.
Bears head coach Matt Eberlfus and general manager Ryan Poles said they want to find an offensive coordinator who is a "great teacher," can create explosives, is innovative, and is adaptable.
The Bears clearly view the McVay and Shanahan offenses as their preferred route forward, regardless of who the quarterback is in 2024.
This will be a franchise-defining offseason for Poles and the Bears. The quarterback decision will suck up most of the oxygen, but as the Houston Texans have shown, getting the right play-caller to pair with your young quarterback can be the rocket fuel needed to thrust a team from rebuild to contention in the blink of an eye.