Carolina Panthers’ Dave Canales won’t retain Thomas Brown as offensive coordinator
The Carolina Panthers won’t retain their offensive coordinator from a season ago.
Thomas Brown, who arrived in Carolina in the 2023 offseason to much promise, will not be a part of the Dave Canales coaching staff in 2024, a league source confirmed to The Charlotte Observer on Saturday.
The news comes a handful of hours after it was determined special teams coordinator and interim coach Chris Tabor, as well as offensive line coach James Campen, would not return as well.
This offseason, Brown interviewed for the Tennessee Titans’ head coaching position and has had three offensive coordinator interviews — with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears and New England Patriots. The Panthers have requested to interview Buccaneers wide receivers coach Brad Idzik — who worked with Canales in Seattle and Tampa Bay — and Eagles senior offensive assistant Marcus Brady for their OC position, The Observer previously reported.
Brown, 37, was a headlining hire for the Frank Reich-led coaching staff going into 2023. He was named among the Top 5 best coordinators to play for, according to an NFL Players Association study conducted in the fall.
But a bereft offense that could never really get going under rookie quarterback Bryce Young — one that featured an injured offensive line and a crew of underperforming playmakers — rendered his stint in Carolina short. The 2-15 Panthers finished the 2023 regular season 31st (out of 32 teams) in points per game (13.9), last in yards per game (265.3) and 30th in quarterback sack percentage (10%), per Team Rankings.
Young, the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s NFL Draft, finished with 2,877 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns and 10 interceptions — with a QBR of 33.3.
Brown got his chance to call plays for two separate stints last season. He did so in mid-October, after Reich handed him the opportunity after the team started 0-6. In the three games after that, Brown called a final drive against the Houston Texans that ended in a game-winning field goal and delivered the Panthers their first win.
Reich took back play-calling duties in November, though. But then once Reich was fired, Brown picked those responsibilities back up again for the final six games of the season.
Before Carolina, Brown spent three seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, including the 2021 Super Bowl season, where he was the running backs coach and was part of an offense that ranked seventh in the NFL in points scored. Prior to that, he was an offensive coordinator in the college game for the Miami Hurricanes.
