The Chicago Bears fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron on Tuesday just nine games into his tenure directing an offense for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
The Bears announced they will promote passing game coordinator Thomas Brown to OC and play caller, a move made with the hope of pushing the development of Williams forward and rejuvenating an offense that ranks 30th in the NFL with 277.7 yards per game.
The move comes in the wake of the Bears’ 19-3 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday at Soldier Field, a game in which the offense managed just 142 yards, went 1-for-14 on third down and extended its streak without a touchdown to eight quarters and 23 drives.
Bears coach Matt Eberflus promised changes to the offense Monday at his usual news conference at Halas Hall, but wasn’t ready to announce the dismissal of Waldron then. The Bears made it official Tuesday morning.
Both Eberflus and Brown are expected to address reporters Wednesday.
“After evaluating our entire operation, I decided that it is in the best interest of our team to move in a different direction with the leadership of our offense,” Eberflus said in a statement. “This decision was well-thought-out, one that was conducted deliberately and respectfully. I would like to thank Shane for his efforts and wish him the best moving forward.”
Brown joined the Bears this offseason as the passing game coordinator after one season as the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers and then-rookie quarterback Bryce Young. He called plays in two separate stints in 2023. Panthers coach Frank Reich gave him the duties for three games midseason, but then took them back. Brown then took over play calling again when Reich was fired in late November.
Brown spent three seasons with the Los Angeles Rams under Sean McVay. He worked with tight ends and running backs and was named assistant head coach for his final two seasons there.
Brown, a former Georgia running back, also served as a college offensive coordinator at Miami from 2016-18.
“Thomas is a bright offensive mind who has experience calling plays with a collaborative mindset,” Eberflus said. “I look forward to his leadership over our offensive coaching staff and his plan for our players.”
The move comes two days after the Bears stumbled through their third consecutive loss with signs of the offense’s dysfunction undeniable. They have scored only 27 points on 34 drives during their current three-game losing skid.
In that span, Williams has thrown for just 468 yards, posting a 64.7 rating and failing to throw a touchdown pass.
Even with a decimated offensive line and a rookie quarterback, the Bears’ struggles proved jarring Sunday in a disheartening home loss to the last-place Patriots.
It was hoped this might be a breakout season for the offense. In addition to drafting Williams at No. 1 in April, the Bears traded for Keenan Allen this offseason, signed D’Andre Swift in free agency and selected Rome Odunze in the first round, adding those playmakers to a group that already featured DJ Moore and Cole Kmet.
The Bears hired Waldron last winter to replace Luke Getsy as offensive coordinator. But through his first nine games in Chicago, the output of Waldron’s offense has lagged behind the production of the 2023 Bears under Getsy in total offense, rushing offense, third-down efficiency, sack rate and yards per passing play.
The timing of Tuesday’s move is significant. The Bears are readying to begin a 12-day stretch in which they play three consecutive division games against the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions.
At this point, the team’s fading playoff hopes may be difficult to revive. But given the team’s direction, some form of change felt inevitable.
