The Chicago Bears did something they've never done in franchise history when they fired head coach Matt Eberflus in the middle of the season. They promoted offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, who had just been upped to OC three weeks prior, to interim head coach.

Before Brown flew home to see his family, he met with Eberflus, who gave him some advice during a meeting at Halas Hall. While Brown kept the conversation private, he told reporters that he appreciated Eberflus going out of his way to meet with him despite going through a rough situation.

“I do appreciate that conversation, which, he didn’t have to do that,” Brown said Monday. “He was great to me.”

Brown met with the Bears coaches and staff members after being named interim head coach, and he then got on a flight to visit his family, for the first time in months, before returning on Sunday. On Monday, Brown held his first team meeting with players.

“I had a chance to go home and spend time with them,” Brown said of his family. “Which is my motivation, my support system. And so I had a really good time with them … Always great to spend time with my family.”

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Matt Eberflus met with Thomas Brown after being hired as interim HC