Panthers to hire Thomas Brown as new offensive coordinator

Before Thursday, Frank Reich’s Carolina Panthers had named themselves a quarterbacks coach, a running backs coach, an offensive line coach, an assistant offensive line coach and a passing game coordinator. But, uh, that was all done without having an actual offensive coordinator.

Well, the wait is finally over.

According to NFL Network insiders Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, Thomas Brown is set to become the new Panthers offensive coordinator. The 36-year-old spent the last three seasons with Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams as an assistant head coach as well as a running backs and tight ends coach.

The #Panthers plan to hire #Rams assistant head coach Thomas Brown as their offensive coordinator, sources tell me and @RapSheet.

A highly regarded young coach, Brown has gotten head coaching interviews the past two offseasons. A key addition for Frank Reich. pic.twitter.com/NzQ0y3Z2q7

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 17, 2023

The former rusher was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL draft. He would not, however, log a regular-season snap during his pro career, which also featured a short stint with the Cleveland Browns from 2009 to 2010.

Brown transitioned to the sidelines in 2011, beginning as a strength and conditioning coach at his alma mater of the University of Georgia. He’d serve mostly as a running backs coach for six colleges over a nine-year span—including Chattanooga, Marshall, Wisconsin, Miami (Fla.) and South Carolina.

He’d crack back into the NFL in 2020 under McVay, quickly becoming one of the brightest up-and-coming assistants in the NFL.