The Bears’ propensity for being stingy with their coach’s pay could wind up hurting them next year.
Mike Mulligan of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that offensive coordinator Mike Martz recently turned down a one-year contract extension from the team, just like special-teams coordinator Dave Toub did before him.
The extension didn’t include a raise, so Martz felt comfortable lacking “security” for 2012. Both he and Toub could be coaching free agents next year.
Martz wasn’t exactly a hot coaching prospect before Lovie Smith brought him into the fold, but Martz will have superior leverage in Chicago and elsewhere with a successful 2011 season under his belt.
The Bears will want Jay Cutler to maintain as much continuity as possible, so it seems relatively likely Martz would just get his raise after next season. Lovie Smith signed a two-year extension after the season.