After a relatively quiet week on the Patriots offensive coordinator search front - one that only seemed to bring us rumors of a reunion with former OC Josh McDaniels - Friday afternoon saw a flood of information on the job vacancy in New England.
According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, the Patriots “spent this past Tuesday interviewing” Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown for what Rapoport called “their vacant OC job.”
That specific phrasing by the veteran NFL reporter is relevant, in that Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft told the media in his end-of-season press conference that it would be up to his new head coach to decide the fate of fired-head coach Jerod Mayo’s coaching staff, as all of them remained under contract.
With only The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin saying Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt was out of a job on the eve of Mayo also losing his job, the ambiguity surrounding his role within the organization remains. But with Rapoport referring to the job as “vacant,” it appears Volin will be vindicated (kind of) at some point in the coming weeks.
At 38 years old, Brown has already put together an extensive coaching resume, as the former running back got right into coaching after his three-year playing career with the Falcons and Browns.
2024 was especially busy for Brown, serving in three different roles for the Bears in his first season with the organization. First, Brown was hired as the team’s passing game coordinator, working in that capacity throughout training camp and the early part of the season. Then, with Matt Eberflus attempting to save his job midseason, Brown was promoted to offensive coordinator after OC Shane Waldron was fired on November 12. Less than three weeks later, Eberflus was fired, and Brown was promoted to interim head coach of Chicago.
Here’s Brown’s full coaching resume:
2011: Georgia Strength and Conditioning Coach
2012: Chattanooga Running Backs Coach
2013: Marshall Running Backs Coach
2014: Wisconsin Running Backs Coach
2015: Georgia Running Backs Coach
2016-18: Miami Offensive Coordinator & Running Backs Coach
2019: South Carolina Running Backs Coach
2020: Los Angeles Rams Running Backs Coach
2021: Rams Assistant Head Coach & Running Backs Coach
2022: Rams Assistant Head Coach & Tight Ends Coach
2023: Carolina Panthers Offensive Coordinator
2024-present: Chicago Bears Interim Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator & Passing Game Coordinator
While that resume isn’t chock full of successful stints working with young quarterbacks (Caleb Williams had an underwhelming season), it does feature three years on an offensive staff with Rams head coach Sean McVay. And with two of those three years seeing him in the role of assistant head coach, that close working relationship with arguably the best offensive mind in the NFL is something the Patriots have to be intrigued by as they look for someone to pair with 22-year-old Drake Maye.
In addition to Rapoport’s report on Friday, we also had ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reporting that New England had requested an interview with Chargers passing game coordinator Marcus Brady.
UPDATE: The Patriots did in fact interview Brady on Friday, according to Rapoport.
Brady, a three-time Grey Cup Champion in the Canadian Football League as a quarterback who spent time coaching up there after his playing career came to a close, has been coaching in the NFL since 2018.
2024 was the first and only season the 45-year-old spent with the Chargers, helping turn Los Angeles around after picking in the top 10 this past spring. Brady, along with head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman, were able to help Pro Bowl quarterback Justin Herbert play some of the best football of his career, on their way to an 11-6 record and a berth in the NFL Playoffs.
Here’s Brady’s full coaching resume:
2009-11: Montreal Alouettes Wide Receivers Coach (CFL)
2012: Alouettes Offensive Coordinator (CFL)
2013-17: Toronto Argonauts Offensive Coordinator (CFL)
2018: Indianapolis Colts Assistant Quarterbacks Coach
2019-20: Colts Quarterbacks Coach
2021-22: Colts Offensive Coordinator
2022: Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Consultant
2022-23: Eagles Senior Offensive Assistant
2024-present: Los Angeles Chargers Passing Game Coordinator
Stay locked in to WEEI and WEEI.com for the latest on the Patriots’ search for their next offensive coordinator.