A year ago, the Seahawks gave Shane Waldron permission to pursue other jobs. This led to Waldron beating out Thomas Brown for the Bears’ OC job. But Brown was left standing by season’s end, moving up two rungs on the ladder after Waldron’s OC ouster.
With the Bears likely moving away from their interim HC, Brown is now in play for the Seahawks’ job. The two-time OC will interview for the Seahawks’ play-calling post, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reports
. Hank Fraley, the Lions’ offensive line coach, will as well, per Pelissero
.
The Seahawks moved on from Ryan Grubb after one year . Mike Macdonald had gone off the board with Grubb, who had been set to become Alabama’s OC, but backtracked quickly. The Seattle HC has labeled this a prime job , citing the team’s young talent. The Seahawks are also tentatively expected to bring back Geno Smith for a fourth season as the starting QB, though the team’s long-term plan at the game’s premier position is unsettled. Smith is going into a contract year.
Fraley’s interview is on tap for Friday, and he should have some momentum. Although O-line coaches do not make a habit of climbs to OC roles, Fraley is coaching what has been one of the NFL’s best position groups for a while. He has overseen Detroit’s O-line since 2020, guiding the likes of Penei Sewell and Frank Ragnow to Pro Bowls and helping Graham Glasgow rebound from an inconsistent Broncos tenure to reclaim his place as a starter. Fraley’s unit has been a primary driver of Jared Goff ‘s resurgence. A former NFL O-lineman, Fraley has been in Detroit since the 2018 season, beginning as assistant O-line coach before being elevated.
As this is Fraley’s first OC interview, Brown has been on the circuit for a bit — to the point he has received HC meetings. The Panthers hired Brown as their OC in 2023, and he finished out a woeful season as the team’s OC. Amid a collapse that initially stemmed from a defensive gaffe in Washington, the Bears won just one of their final 11 games. Although this can partially be pinned on Brown after he replaced Matt Eberflus, the team acknowledges the tough spot its interim HC/play-caller handled . The Bears began the season with Brown as their pass-game coordinator, but Waldron’s firing led to two bumps during a 5-12 season.
Brown, 38, and Macdonald were both on the Georgia staff in 2011, as ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson notes . Brown will meet with the Seahawks on Saturday, SI.com’s Albert Breer tweets . A Bears separation would mean a fourth team in four years for Brown, who jumped from Los Angeles to Charlotte to Chicago from 2022-24.
Considering he is a long shot to be retained in Chicago, this Seattle meeting will be pivotal for the former Sean McVay assistant’s path. Brown’s past with Waldron — in both Los Angeles and Chicago — is rather interesting as well, as it could mean a return to a familiar scheme for Smith.