Bears Hire Mike Martz As Offensive Coordinator

Mike Martz, most recently the offensive coordinator for the 49ers in 2008, was hired by the Chicago Bears on Monday, after the team spent a month looking to replace former OC Ron Turner.

Mike Martz - Courtesy of Paul Spinelli / Associated Press

Martz will have a tough job trying to recuperate a struggling offense and get more out of Jay Cutler, a quarterback who did not meet the high expectations set out for him this year. Cutler led the league in interceptions with 26 and the team missed the playoffs for the 3^rd year in a row with a 7-9 record. Many coaches were let go, but head coach Lovie Smith still remains, although he has given up his defensive play-calling duties.

“Lovie was very clear at the beginning of the process that this was going to take time and he was going to go through it step by step,” said Martz, who early on expressed interest in the job. “That’s always difficult, but he did it the right way — especially since I got the job.”

Martz spent last season as an NFL Network analyst, but he’ll be back on the field next season with the Bears. Martz has said that his visit with Culter was “even better than anticipated” and that “there was an instant connection.”

The Bears are still looking for  a defensive coordinator.