Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz addressed the rumor that his tenure with the team will end after this season on Wednesday.
“I’m bothered by that,” Martz said. “Obviously, I plan on being back here and want to be here and I am just going to assume it’s all going to work out so that’s unfortunate. That is the only thing I can tell you. It’s just like college jobs and those things, we’re focused on this job and what we’re doing.”
Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune theorized that Martz’s agent could have had something to do with the report to “create leverage or a marketplace for his client” because he knew that Martz would be looking for work. Martz said he had no idea about who the source was for the story, which was reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN. He also said that he met with Bears coach Lovie Smith to discuss the report.
“I wanted to find about it,” Martz said. “I am embarrassed by it and I hope that, anyway, let’s just move on. It’s not good. And it’s not how I think and live my life. Just disappointed.”
Smith called the report “made up” on Monday, although he stopped short of saying that Martz, whose contract expires at the end of the season, will remain with the team.