The Chicago Bears have finally made a change after this weekend’s awful 19-3 loss to the New England Patriots. The Bears announced Tuesday morning that offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has been out after just nine games. Head coach Matt Eberflus made the final decision.
“After evaluating our entire operation, I determined that it is in the best interest of our team to lead our offense in a different direction. This decision was well thought out and made with intent and respect,” Eberflus said . in a statement. “I would like to thank Shane for his efforts and wish him the best for the future.”
Thomas Brown, the passing game coordinator, will reportedly take over as offensive coordinator and play caller for the remainder of the 2024 season.
Waldron was hired as head coach Matt Eberflus’ hand-picked offensive coordinator on January 23, 2024. His job was to reshape the offensive strategy around rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, the Bears’ first pick in the 2024 draft.
And before their Week 7 bye, there were some successes. They had a 4-2 record and a four-game home winning streak. They scored at least 24 points in four of their first six games. There was room for improvement everywhere, but the offense was functional.
The Bears returned in Week 8 against the Washington Commanders. Chicago’s defense did the yeoman’s work and held Washington’s high-powered offense to under 20 points, but Waldron’s offense, led by Williams, managed only 105 yards through the air, leading to just 15 points in the loss.
The next two games were almost complete disasters. They scored just 241 yards of total offense and zero touchdowns in a Week 9 blowout at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals. They then scored one field goal in Week 10 against the Patriots, one of the worst teams in the league. By the end of that demoralizing loss, Waldron had seen his personally designed offense go 23 straight drives without scoring a touchdown.
So what do we know about Brown, Waldron’s replacement? He is in his fifth season coaching at the NFL level, after nine years at the college level. He is in his first season as the Bears’ passing coordinator after spending the 2023 season as the Carolina Panthers’ offensive coordinator. The Panthers weren’t exactly an offensive powerhouse a year ago with their own rookie No. 1 under center, Bryce Young.
But after going eight quarters without a touchdown, Chicago was forced to abandon Waldron. Right now, that might be the most positive thing the Bears have going for them.
