NFL Insider: Thomas Brown to Get ‘Real Look’ for Bears’ HC Job After Eberflus’ Firing

As Thomas Brown prepares to lead the Chicago Bears as their interim head coach for the rest of this season, he could also be auditioning to get the full-time job in 2025.

Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Brown will get a “real look” from the Bears in the offseason when they conduct a full search for a new head coach.

Chicago fired Matt Eberflus on Friday amid a six-game losing streak, including a 23-20 loss to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day.

Brown has had a rapid ascent up the coaching ladder in Chicago. He was hired in January to be the passing game coordinator, then got bumped up to offensive coordinator when Shane Waldron was fired on Nov. 12.

The biggest feather in Brown’s cap is Caleb Williams’ improved play since he started calling plays for the offense.

In nine games under Waldron, Williams averaged 198.3 passing yards and 26.3 rushing yards. He threw nine touchdown passes, five interceptions and completed 60.5 percent of his attempts

Since Brown took over as offensive coordinator, Williams is averaging 275.7 passing yards, 47.3 rushing yards with five touchdown passes and no interceptions in three games.

Brown has extensive experience as a coach, though this interim stint with the Bears will mark his first time as a head coach. He spent nine years in the college ranks from 2011 to ’19 before being hired to Sean McVay’s staff with the Los Angeles Rams as running backs coach in 2020.

After three seasons with the Rams, Brown spent the 2023 season with the Carolina Panthers as their offensive coordinator.

The top priority for any candidate the Bears interview this offseason should be hearing their plan to develop Williams into becoming the star player they expect him to be after selecting him No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL draft.

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will likely be the top candidate for several teams. It’s unclear if this will be the offseason in which he decides to become a head coach after withdrawing his name from consideration for jobs in each of the past two years.

Brown’s direct relationship with Williams can’t hurt his chances, but the Bears owe it to themselves to cast a wide net in their search. The history of interim head coaches getting the full-time job with the same organization is not very strong.

Since 2000, there have been 12 interim coaches who got the permanent job. Leslie Frazier (Minnesota Vikings), Jason Garrett (Dallas Cowboys) and Doug Marrone (Jacksonville Jaguars) are the only coaches from that group who made it through at least three full seasons with the team that hired them.

The Bears have fallen to 4-8 amid their six-game losing streak after winning four of their first six games. Four losses during this skid have come by three points or fewer. They are one loss away from clinching their fourth straight losing season.