Patriots interviewed Thomas Brown for offensive coordinator

The Chicago Bears are conducting their search for a new head coach that's included roughly 20 candidates from various backgrounds, including interim head coach Thomas Brown, who filled in for the final five games after Matt Eberflus was fired.

While Brown did get a formal interview, he's not expected to become Chicago's permanent head coach, which will free him up for other opportunities around the league. He's already interviewed for the Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator vacancy, and he's getting another interview opportunity.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the New England Patriots interviewed Brown for their offensive coordinator job, under new head coach Mike Vrabel, this past Tuesday.

Brown started this season as passing game coordinator before he was promoted to offensive coordinator following Shane Waldron's firing on Nov. 12. Brown helped kickstart Chicago's offense and quarterback Caleb Williams with three impressive outings against division foes Green Bay, Minnesota and Detroit (despite them all being losses). When Eberflus was fired after a Thanksgiving disaster against the Lions, Brown was promoted to interim head coach.

Unfortunately, Brown struggled to rein in a Bears team that was in the middle of a six-game losing streak after a 4-2 start. Brown went 1-4 in his interim head coach tenure.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Patriots interviewed Thomas Brown for offensive coordinator