The report that offensive coordinator Mike Martz won’t be back with the Bears after his contract expires at the end of the season doesn’t sit well with head coach Lovie Smith.
“If there is a change that would be made, I’ll be making it,” Smith said, via CSNChicago.com. “I definitely haven’t discussed that with anyone. I’m sure there are a lot of things out there that people make up. That has to be made up, because nothing like that came from me. It should definitely stop right there.”
What Smith didn’t say is interesting: He didn’t say Martz will be back next year. He just said he hasn’t discussed Martz’s departure. Martz may know he’s leaving, and he may be spreading word that he’s leaving so that people hiring coaches, either in college or in the NFL, will keep him in mind for job openings.
One thing we do know is that for the remaining weeks of this season, Martz is going to have one of the hardest jobs a coach can have: Trying to put points on the board with a Caleb Hanie-run offense.