Former Georgia Bulldogs running back, current New England Patriots passing game coordinator named as Arizona Cardinals coach candidate
Former Georgia Bulldogs running back Thomas Brown is a candidate to be the Arizona Cardinals' head coach. Brown is in the middle of a playoff run with the New England Patriots, who are playing the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship on Sunday with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.
Brown has served as the Patriots' passing game coordinator and tight ends coach. He's helped New England quarterback Drake Maye have a breakout season under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel.
Brown was previously the Chicago Bears' interim head coach in 2024. The Bears elected to move on from Brown after hiring Ben Johnson as head coach last offseason.
The Patriots' assistant was also considered for the Los Angeles Chargers' offensive coordinator role. However, the Chargers are expected to hire former Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel.
At this time, it appears that Brown is focusing on his AFC championship preparations and would consider interviewing for the Cardinals' job after Sunday. Arizona does not have the league's most attractive head coaching job because of the Cardinals' quarterback situation with Kyler Murray and the difficulty of playing in the NFC West.
Brown served as an offensive assistant with the Los Angeles Rams under Sean McVay before coming being the Carolina Panthers' offensive coordinator in 2023. Brown is highly respected across the league. Brown rushed for 2,646 yards and 23 touchdowns in his Georgia career from 2004-2007.
Brown named as Arizona Cardinals head coach candidate
#Patriots passing game coordinator Thomas Brown, who is a HC candidate with the #AZCardinals, is expected to interview for the #Chargers OC job, source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 18, 2026
Brown had worked with Sean McVay and Mike Vrabel, helping NE be the third-ranked passing offense. pic.twitter.com/btp07joRHm
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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Former Georgia RB named as NFL head coach candidate
Category: General Sports