On Tuesday evening, NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe reported that the Arizona Cardinals (3-14) have requested permission to interview Patriots passing game coordinator/tight ends coach Thomas Brown for their opening at head coach.
Wolfe wrote on X, “Brown has a huge part of Patriots 2025 turnaround. He has playcalling and interim HC experience along with learning under Sean McVay and Mike Vrabel.”
Brown joined the Patriots coaching staff after a 2024 season in which he served as interim head coach of the Bears. Before coming aboard in New England, he was interviewed for the vacant offensive coordinator position that eventually went to Josh McDaniels.
At only 39 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 (2008-10).
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 in early November. 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: Chicago Bears Interim Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator & Passing Game Coordinator
2025: New England Patriots Passing Game Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach
While that resume isn’t chock full of successful stints working with young quarterbacks outside of this fantastic season with Drake Maye, 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 on top of helping turn Maye into a superstar MVP candidate is enough to vault him into potential head coach conversations.
The Cardinals job came open when Jonathan Gannon was fired on Monday after going 15-36 in his three seasons on the job.
Tune in each and every Monday throughout the football season to Patriots Monday on WEEI. Head coach Mike Vrabel joins The Greg Hill Show at 6:30 a.m. ET, and quarterback Drake Maye joins WEEI Afternoons.