Chicago Bears News

Devin Hester could see a reduced role in the Bears passing game
Comment
February 9
NBCSports.com
 (scroll down)
"Although Devin Hester was the Bears' No. 1 receiver in 2009, Martz indicated that Hester could see a reduced role in the passing game in 2010. Martz said he could see using Hester as the slot receiver, the way the Rams used Az Hakim, and Martz also hinted that Hester could see an increased role in the return game."
Martz's offense must keep Bears' defense off field
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February 9
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Forgive Lovie Smith for allowing the search for Ron Turner's replacement to drag on, but this was a critical hire not only because the new offensive coordinator will be in charge of Jay Cutler's development. With all due respect to Rod Marinelli, who was promoted to defensive coordinator Friday, the new offensive coordinator could be the person who makes the biggest impact on the defense next season. The offense, defense and special teams have to complement each other for a team to be at its best, and that hardly has been the case with the Bears in recent seasons. Smith's defensive philosophy revolves around creating turnovers. Unfortunately for him, his offense has been equally adept at ..."
Bears' Vasher may be in danger of being released
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February 9
Chicago Tribune
 
"Monday marked the first day that NFL teams could start releasing players, the beginning of the official offseason now that Super Bowl XLIV is behind us. The Bears don't have a lot of candidates to be outright cut. Most of the players who will depart have expiring contracts, with defensive end Adewale Ogunleye and running back Adrian Peterson being two examples. The club could negotiate with Ogunleye at some point. Peterson probably will not return. Cornerback Nathan Vasher could be in danger of being released. There's no such thing as having too many cornerbacks on the roster, but Vasher has had opportunities to regain his status over the last two seasons and he finished last season as an ..."
Hester has super homecoming week
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February 8
Chicago Tribune
 
"Devin Hester experienced the joy of Super Bowl Week without having to actually play in Super Bowl XLIV in Miami. "Being back home has been really cool," Hester said. "I got to visit my old high school, childhood home and … to party with my boys." Hester also visited his old barbershop, where some of his buddies gave him a hard time. The Bears wide receiver/kick returner hosted a party at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Invited guests included Gabrielle Union, Tony Gonzalez, Alyssa Milano, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Lil Jon."
Still no Denting the Hall
Comment
February 7
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Richard Dent has to wait at least another year. In his eighth year of eligibility, the former Bears defensive end was not elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. But the 2010 class doesn't lack star power. San Francisco 49ers receiver Jerry Rice and Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith were first-time selections, along with Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle John Randle, Washington Redskins guard Russ Grimm and New Orleans Saints linebacker Rickey Jackson, Denver Broncos running back Floyd Little and Detroit Lions cornerback Dick LeBeau. ''This is almost perfect,'' said Smith, who shared the NFL Network stage with Rice. ''I don't think even Steven Spielberg could have ..."
What happened? Examining the 3-year fall at Halas Hall
Comment
February 7
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"After the Bears lost to the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI in February 2007, they vowed to return. And while not many were betting on it, they had the right to dream big. Their defense, the envy of the league with an NFL-high 44 takeaways in 2006, was one of the best in the NFL -- and one of the youngest. The average age of the Bears' 11 defensive starters in the Super Bowl was 25.8. In fact, every key contributor was in his 20s except Alfonso Boone, who was 30. Their big playmakers were in their prime. Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher was 28. Defensive tackle Tommie Harris was 23. Linebacker Lance Briggs was 26. The offense had its issues, but it still was eighth in the NFL in ..."
Dent falls short in Hall vote again
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February 7
Chicago Tribune
 
"After waiting eight rounds before the Bears drafted him out of Tennessee State in 1983, Richard Dent knows something about patience. But it was tested again Saturday. The Pro Football Hall of Fame denied Dent entry into the class of 2010, the sixth time in the last seven years he had been a finalist only to get familiar, deflating news. "I'm disappointed that the Chicago party has been delayed again,'' Dent said Saturday night. "You have to congratulate the guys who went in. I'll look for it next year." The class that will be enshrined Aug. 7 in Canton, Ohio, will include 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice and Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith, both on the ballot for the first time, Redskins ..."
Briggs: Blame mediocre season on the players
Comment
February 6
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Three years ago, Bears Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs was preparing to play in Super Bowl XLI at Dolphin Stadium against the Indianapolis Colts. But this week, Briggs has been participating on a more peripheral level -- like attending parties and conducting interviews at the Media Center -- while the Colts are aiming to win their second Super Bowl rings in four seasons. ''We've been ineffective, and that's a reflection of who we are,'' Briggs told the Sun-Times on Friday. ''That's what we have to do differently to get better. The things that we're doing, it's just not good enough.'' Briggs refused to blame injuries, most notably the loss of fellow linebacker Brian Urlacher for 15 games ..."
Dent's Hall of Fame prospects seem brighter
Comment
February 6
Chicago Tribune
 columnist Dan Pompei
"Many with knowledge of the process say they believe this is finally the year Richard Dent will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The former Bears defensive end has been eligible for eight years and a finalist for six years. The 2010 class will be announced Saturday after the Hall's selectors meet and vote. As one of that group, I have felt a momentum shift in Dent's favor. But it doesn't mean anything until the voters start writing down names. Dent is part of a strong group of finalists: Tim Brown, Cris Carter, Don Coryell, Roger Craig, Dermontti Dawson, Russ Grimm, Charles Haley, Rickey Jackson, Cortez Kennedy, John Randle, Andre Reed, Jerry Rice, Shannon Sharpe and Emmitt ..."
Marinelli promotion weakens Bears
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February 6
Chicago Tribune
 columnist David Haugh
"For reasons hard to fathom, in Rod they still trust. Do you, Bears fans? It's understandable why you wouldn't endorse the Bears' promotion Friday of Rod Marinelli to assistant head coach/defensive coordinator a month after he turned down the job. Marinelli's agent, Frank Bauer, reiterated his client's reluctance to take on defensive play-calling duties to the Tribune last week at the Senior Bowl. A guy hired to fix a defense shouldn't have to be talked into the job. But that's how badly the job is viewed around the league. Here's the description: Stay within the boundaries of the Cover-2 defense. Run everything by a head coach who bristles at the mere suggestion of change defensively. Oh, ..."
Bears elevate Rod Marinelli
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February 6
Chicago Tribune
 
"Some Bears fans scratched their heads Friday when Bears coach Lovie Smith promoted longtime friend Rod Marinelli to defensive coordinator. Critics wondered if Smith backpedaled on his words from a month ago, when he announced he would relinquish his defensive play-calling duties and look outside for a successor. Others probably went back and dissected Smith's words from that same news conference, when he boldly stated, "Believe me, people will want to come here"' in reference to coaching candidates. Disregarding skeptics, a confident Smith put his immediate future in the hands of two former head coaches: new offensive coordinator Mike Martz earlier this week and Marinelli on Friday. "Rod ..."
Lovie promotes Marinelli to Bears top defensive spot
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February 6
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"General manager Jerry Angelo emphasized the need for change while explaining the hiring of offensive coordinator Mike Martz earlier this week. Evidently, the same change wasn't desired on defense as the Bears completed their staff Friday by announcing that Rod Marinelli had been promoted to defensive coordinator. Marinelli will assume the job coach Lovie Smith did himself last season and linebackers coach Bob Babich did for two years before that. Despite 34 years of coaching experience, including 13 seasons in the NFL, this will be the first time Marinelli, a long-time defensive line coach, has had play-calling duties. ''It's about understanding who your personnel is,'' former Kansas City ..."
Recovering from injuries, Hester looks forward to playing for Martz
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February 5
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Devin Hester is in a suite on the top floor of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. On the ground level outside, around a striking and sprawling pool, Hester's celebrity guests -- who eventually included rapper Rick Ross and actress Kellita Smith (''The Bernie Mac Show'') -- arrive and pose with guitars on a red carpet in front of a dozen photographers. The classy event is courtesy of one of Hester's sponsors, the energy drink Red Bull, in the days leading up to the Super Bowl. Naturally, Hester wishes he could be playing Sunday at Sun Life Stadium, but he still feels at home because his roots are deep in the area (he was born in Riviera Beach and went to the University of Miami). ..."
Joe Montana says pressure got to Jay Cutler
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February 5
Chicago Tribune
 
"A former player who knows a thing or two about pressure thinks Jay Cutler may have had a hard time handling the heightened expectations during his first season in Chicago. Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana appeared on "The Waddle and Silvy Show" on WMVP-AM 1000 Thursday from South Florida and was asked what he thought of Cutler's shaky performance with the Bears. "Part of it is pressure," Montana said. "Sometimes you bring it on yourself a bit. You're not happy somewhere, and you leave and you think it's better somewhere else ... and maybe when you get there and it's a little bit more than you expected, and maybe it's not what you expected. "A lot of the times you're trying too hard, ..."
Ron Turner will be assistant at Stanford
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February 5
Chicago Tribune
 
"Former Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner used his Bears ties to find another job. Turner on Thursday was hired by Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh to be an assistant coach the Cardinal. Harbaugh made the announcement at a recruiting reception, but did not specify Turner's role. It is believed he will be offensive coordinator. Turner was Harbaugh's offensive coordinator for one year in 1993 before the Bears let Harbaugh go, and the two stayed in contact since that time."
Cutler 'comfortable' with new coordinator Martz
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February 5
Chicago Tribune
 
"New Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz said he enjoyed meeting with quarterback Jay Cutler last Saturday in Nashville, Tenn., and apparently the feeling was mutual. "I felt very comfortable with him," Cutler told ChicagoBears.com. "The results of his offense speak for themselves. He had a lot of success in St. Louis and his offenses made improvements each year in Detroit and San Francisco.""
Bears' Hester would like bigger kick-return role
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February 5
Chicago Tribune
 
"Devin Hester is excited about Mike Martz's arrival as the Bears' new offensive coordinator, but said Thursday that he would like to go back to having a bigger kick-return role. "I would love to get back in that situation with the return game," Hester told "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on WMVP-AM 1000. "But at the same time, I'm a team player so wherever y'all want me to go, I'm ready to do it." Hester hasn't scored a touchdown on a kick or punt return since 2007 after running back 12 for TDs in 2006 and '07, including a kickoff return in Super Bowl XLI. He said becoming a full-time receiver has taken its toll. "I know what I'm best at," Hester said. "The return game is my bread and butter, so ..."
NFL players preparing for 2011 lockout
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February 5
Boston Globe
 
"As collective bargaining agreement negotiations between the NFL Players Association and the NFL owners continue to drag, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith said he expects the owners to lock out the players before the 2011 season. Chad Ochocinco, representing OCNN, asked the first question of a press conference this afternoon in which the NFLPA laid out their message. He asked Smith how worried he is about a lockout next season. "On a scale of 1 to 10," Smith said, "it's a 14." Smith said he and NFLPA president Kevin Mawae have informed players to save 25 percent of their paychecks in order to prepare for a lockout. Mawae said negotiations for a CBA have been "frustrating" and moved ..."
Singletary allows aide to interview with Bears
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February 4
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"After losing offensive line coach Chris Foerster to the Washington Redskins in a lateral move, Mike Singletary said he would not allow any of his other assistants to speak to teams about making parallel moves. However, the 49ers coach gave permission to offensive quality control aide Shane Day to interview with the Chicago Bears for the position of quarterbacks coach under new offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Day worked under Martz with the 49ers in 2008. Day has been with the 49ers for three years in the entry-level position of quality control, in charge of inputting the offensive game plan and other clerical work."
Dungy sees Williams, Lovie as solid match
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February 4
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Tony Dungy hopes he can connect two of the branches on his coaching tree. The former Super Bowl champion head coach gave Bears coach Lovie Smith and Indianapolis Colts defensive backs coach Alan Williams their first NFL jobs in Tampa Bay, and he strongly believes they should work together in 2010. ''There's a lot of good coaches out there,'' Dungy told the Sun-Times on Tuesday. ''But I know what Lovie's looking for -- the way he wants to run things -- and I think Alan would perfect.'' On Monday, Williams told the Sun-Times all coordinator jobs are ''intriguing'' and said it would be ''neat to explore the opportunity'' if the Bears do want to speak to him. Dungy said he hasn't spoken to ..."
'Super Bowl Shuffle' is still the big dance
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February 4
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Former Bears Mike Singletary and Jim McMahon have an impressive collection of titles, awards and records between them. But much to their chagrin, neither can escape the inevitable and invariable inquiries about ''The Super Bowl Shuffle.'' ''People always ask me about The Shuffle,'' McMahon said Wednesday. ''Always.'' Said Singletary, ''It's amazing. I've tried to burn and throw them all away.'' McMahon said he's often asked to recall and recite the words (the answer is always no), and Singletary said he's often asked to perform some of the dance steps (the answer usually is a piercing glare). Yet McMahon, Singletary, Richard Dent, Willie Gault, Otis Wilson, Steve Fuller and Maury Buford ..."
Bears interview Day for QB coach
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February 4
Chicago Tribune
 
"Shane Day, who spent the past three seasons on the San Francisco 49ers' staff, has interviewed with the Bears for their quarterbacks coaching job. He has spent the past three seasons as a quality control coach working closely with the offensive staff in San Francisco. Day got to know new Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz when he held the same job with the 49ers in 2008."
Lovie's new Bears staff: Three men and a maybe
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February 3
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The joke about Lovie Smith's first Bears staff in 2004 was that it was the team's least-experienced group of NFL coaches since George Halas assembled his first staff during the formation of professional football. Virtually everyone involved was either newly promoted or new to the NFL. Smith was a first-time head coach, and Ron Rivera, Terry Shea and Dave Toub were first-time NFL coordinators on defense, offense and special teams, respectively. Only four coaches on the 13-man staff had done the same job before at the NFL level. Six were in the NFL for the first time. Flash forward to 2010, and you find Smith cutting back in the open field. The brain trust at Halas Hall suddenly has some ..."
Williams might be Bears' man
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February 3
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"When he tweaked his staff immediately after the 2009 season, Bears coach Lovie Smith wanted his new coaches in place by the Super Bowl. ''That's the date I had in my mind,'' Smith said Monday, hours after the Bears hired Mike Martz as their offensive coordinator. ''This was a big one. Hopefully, things will start moving on from here.'' But being that they've waited this long, the Bears might as well wait until next week and interview Indianapolis Colts defensive backs coach Alan Williams. Never heard of him? That might be because Williams is viewed as an up-and-coming coach who, like his mentor Tony Dungy, isn't much of a self-promoter. But Williams, 40, might be the ideal fit to become ..."
Faulk sees growing pains for Cutler under Martz
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February 3
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Former St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk, one of the centerpieces of ''The Greatest Show on Turf,'' said he expects Mike Martz to thrive as the Bears' offensive coordinator -- as long as quarterback Jay Cutler is ready for a rude awakening. ''It'll be very interesting,'' said Faulk, an analyst for the NFL Network. ''This will be the first time that Jay Cutler will not have control of the decisions that he wants to make. I'm very familiar with the offense, and it will be a challenge to Jay. ... Mike will test his football knowledge and test his willingness to want to get better in the NFL because he'll ask him to do some things that Jay may not be comfortable with.'' As former Rams ..."
With DeBord on board, only quarterbacks coach vacant on offense
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February 3
Chicago Tribune
 
"Bears coach Lovie Smith said his original goal was to have his staff set by Super Bowl XLIV, and he's are making progress toward that. Mike DeBord was hired as the tight ends coach on Tuesday, and Shane Day will arrive at Halas Hall today with a good chance of being hired as quarterbacks coach, a league source said. Day has spent the last three seasons as a quality control coach for the 49ers, working with new offensive coordinator Mike Martz in 2007 and 2008. Previously, Day was an assistant quarterbacks coach at Michigan where he worked under DeBord, the former offensive coordinator of the Wolverines. Another league source said the Bears couldn't get Martz's top choice to be quarterbacks ..."
Martz hire raises turf issue
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February 3
Chicago Tribune
 
"When Mike Martz was in St. Louis, his offense was called "The Greatest Show on Turf." If the Bears want to recreate the St. Louis experience, they need turf — specifically an infill playing surface at Soldier Field. The Bears and the Chicago Park District have been open to the idea of replacing Soldier Field's grass playing surface, and this could be the ideal time to make the change. It would cost about $1.5 million to make the switch to an infill surface, better known by the brand name FieldTurf, and in the long run it would be considerably cheaper than regular re-soddings."
How Martz's philosophy will impact Bears
Comment
February 3
Chicago Tribune
 columnist Dan Pompei
"Here is how the Mike Martz philosophy could impact positions on the Bears. Quarterback Martz once said the three most important qualities in a quarterback for his offense are accuracy, intelligence and toughness. Cutler has all of those attributes. Arm strength, interestingly enough, is not a high priority for Martz. Cutler has the potential to fit in very nicely with Martz' offense—so long as he buys in. Martz also is a stickler for fundamentals. He demands his quarterbacks throw the ball the way the textbook teaches you to throw it. That could be a problem with Cutler. He also asks that his quarterbacks make many throws on timing, which means they have to trust their receivers—and ..."
Expect the unexpected with Martz
Comment
February 3
Chicago Tribune
 columnist Dan Pompei
"Many coaches are hired because they are from a prestigious coaching tree, or because they follow a proven program. Mike Martz is from the tree of Don Coryell, who could be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday. But that isn't why the Bears hired him. Martz is that rare coach who uses the system as a foundation but is not bound by it. He is as much an artist as a coach and is more likely than most to attack a defense in a manner in which nobody suspected. In many ways, he is the offensive equivalent of Jets coach Rex Ryan. Like Ryan, he is going to take risks, attack and force the opponent to leave its comfort zone and adjust to his calls. I have known Martz since his ..."
Martz promises Bears will have revamped offense
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February 2
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"If history and the testimony of a Super Bowl-winning coach is any indication, the Bears' offense improved dramatically when Mike Martz was named offensive coordinator Monday. ''I would stake my entire reputation on their offense improving when he takes over,'' former Eagles and Rams coach Dick Vermeil said. The Bears ended a search that featured three candidates removing themselves from consideration and two more accepting posts elsewhere by hiring the most qualified -- and controversial -- candidate available. Martz is considered one of the top offensive minds of his generation. He also has a history of abrasiveness and divisiveness that could create volatility when combined with ..."
Warner steps up to the Mike
Comment
February 2
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Kurt Warner knows about riding the Mike Martz roller coaster better than anybody else. Warner experienced the ups and downs in 1999. ''He has a certain way he likes his quarterbacks to play,'' Warner said Monday, mentioning footwork and balance as two of the keys. ''It was really frustrating, at first, to get that stuff down, and he was on me all the time, yelling and screaming. ''I couldn't get that at first, and it shuts you off.'' Warner warned Bears quarterback Jay Cutler to buckle up but added that -- with faith -- the ride can be positive and enlightening. ''It's going to take some time. It might not be the way you've always done it, but trust it, because I know how it helped me,'' ..."
Martz, Cutler connect instantly
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February 2
Chicago Tribune
 columnist David Haugh
"Inside a classroom on the campus of Vanderbilt University on Saturday, Mike Martz was designing a play on the board for Jay Cutler when Cutler asked something about a wide receiver's alignment that impressed Martz. That was a good sign, but it had nothing to do with the quality of the question. Martz was teaching. Cutler was learning. For the Bears' sake, that had better be the way it stays. "There was an instant connection,'' Martz said Monday. One day that connection between Martz and Cutler may produce the type of sparks that nobody at Halas Hall wants, and that's part of what makes Monday's development so fascinating. The Bears hired one of the strongest personalities in modern NFL ..."
Martz insists Olsen will be part of his scheme
Comment
February 2
Chicago Tribune
 
"New Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz gushed Monday about the receivers he inherited in Devin Aromashodu, Johnny Knox, Devin Hester and Earl Bennett. But what about Greg Olsen, who led the Bears in receptions with 60 this season? Some would say the tight end is not an integral part of Martz's offensive scheme after watching Pro Bowler Vernon Davis of the 49ers catch only 31 passes in 2008 when Martz directed the offense. But Martz didn't sound like a guy ready to squeeze his tight ends out of the equation. "Like all the positions, you take a look at what you have at tight end and who that guy is and what they can do and then you go from there,'' Martz said. "In the past, we've always ..."
Next on Bears' agenda — finding defensive coordinator
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February 2
Chicago Tribune
 
"So, the Bears have taken care of their most important decision since 2004, the significance general manager Jerry Angelo placed on the hiring of the offensive coordinator. Now it's time for the defense. Interestingly, there has been little chatter about that side of the ball since Perry Fewell picked the New York Giants over the Bears on Jan. 14. From the sounds of things, coach Lovie Smith has slowly done a 180 on his declaration last month that "we're going to bring someone in from the outside and we're going to go from there." In fact, when asked if he was still looking outside the organization for the third defensive coordinator in three seasons and the fourth in five seasons, Smith ..."
Bears hire Mike Martz to run offense
Comment
February 2
Chicago Tribune
 
"Three desperate men got together on Monday when the Bears hired Mike Martz as offensive coordinator. It just might be the move all three needed. Martz needed someone to give him an opportunity to prove himself again in the NFL. Lovie Smith needed someone to construct a potent offense for the first time since he has been the Bears' head coach. Jay Cutler needed a coach to put him on a winning track. Let the experiment begin. The Bears, who were put under a win-or-else mandate by team President Ted Phillips last month, made a bold move 27 days after firing Ron Turner and most of his offensive staff by bringing in the architect of "The Greatest Show on Turf." Now, we'll find out if he can ..."
Bears' choice remains on hold
Comment
February 1
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Sunday came and went with no news on the Bears' quest to replace offensive coordinator Ron Turner. Sources said Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers impressed many at Halas Hall when he interviewed with coach Lovie Smith and met with other coaches and front-office personnel Thursday. Mike Martz interviewed with Smith on Friday and flew to quarterback Jay Cutler's offseason home Saturday in Nashville, Tenn., to meet with him. Martz would have to get Cutler out of some bad habits. ''Of all the quarterbacks I've seen, Jay hates throwing the ball away more than anybody,'' NFL Network analyst Joe Theismann said. ''He needs to learn that not every throw needs to be a touchdown. ..."
Bears' Knox not half bad in his Pro Bowl debut
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February 1
Chicago Tribune
 
"There might not have been a lot of effort in the Pro Bowl Sunday night, but the AFC kickoff coverage team did its job, working to bottle up the Bears' Johnny Knox. Knox was an injury addition as the return specialist last week after Minnesota's Percy Harvin backed out of the game because of injuries. He returned four kickoffs for 103 yards in the NFC's 41-34 loss. Knox was the target of two passes during the game but didn't have a reception. Knox, who suffered a sprained ankle in Week 16, was replaced in the second half. It wasn't announced if he was injured."
Could a Mike Martz-Jay Cutler marriage work?
Comment
February 1
Chicago Tribune
 columnist David Haugh
"Before Mike Martz entered a Nashville restaurant Saturday night to meet Jay Cutler, he must have felt a little like the guy proposing on the JumboTron. What if he hears no? That's the ridiculously awkward position the Bears put Martz in by dispatching him to go see Cutler rather than bringing the quarterback to Chicago. Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith had all month to arrange a meeting between Martz and Cutler in a more appropriate manner and setting and came up with something contrived out of FootballMatch.com. Compatibility with Cutler surely matters for the next offensive coordinator, so, granted, it was a good idea for the two strong personalities to meet. But not in a way that ultimately ..."
Bears 'O' coordinator search: Martz in huddle with Cutler
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January 31
Daily Southtown
 
"Mike Martz, a candidate to become the Bears' next offensive coordinator, met with quarterback Jay Cutler in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday, presumably to convince him they could make beautiful music together. Cutler typically has met with offensive coordinator candidates during the interview process at Halas Hall. This is believed to be the first time a candidate traveled to meet with Cutler, which seems to be an indication of how eager the former Rams head coach is to tutor a quarterback who - according to Martz - would be the most gifted signal-caller he has ever worked with. Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers remains a strong candidate after impressing many within the ..."
Martz makes his sales pitch to Jay
Comment
January 31
Chicago Sun-Times
 columnist Neil Hayes
"Mike Martz met with quarterback Jay Cutler in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday, presumably to convince the Bears' quarterback that they could make beautiful music together. Cutler typically has met with offensive coordinator candidates during the interview process at Halas Hall. This is believed to be the first time a candidate traveled to meet with Cutler, which seems to be an indication of how eager the former Rams head coach is to tutor the quarterback. Martz told the Sun-Times earlier this month that Cutler would be the most gifted signal-caller he has ever worked with. Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers remains a strong candidate after impressing many within the organization, even ..."
Bears' Devin Aromashodu ready to lend a helping hand
Comment
January 31
Chicago Sun-Times
 columnist Sean Jensen
"Bears receiver Devin Aromashodu scanned the patchy field at his alma mater and watched more than 100 students learning and practicing football fundamentals. Aromashodu ''arrived'' in the colloquial sense when he caught seven passes for 150 yards, including the 39-yard game-winner, on ''Monday Night Football'' against the NFC North champion Minnesota Vikings. Since being drafted in the seventh round of the 2006 draft by his hometown team, the Miami Dolphins, Aromashodu bounced around the league until his emergence with the Bears, his fifth NFL franchise. But at least in his mind, Aromashodu arrived in the formal sense Saturday, when he hosted his first football camp at Miami Springs High, ..."
Many happy returns for Knox
Comment
January 31
Chicago Tribune
 
"The most unlikely Pro Bowler of them all is a rookie. He was invited to the Pro Bowl only because the Vikings' Percy Harvin backed out. He was bypassed 139 times in the draft. He didn't play football at a Division I school. He was not invited to either of the top two college all-star games one year ago. He made the Pro Bowl as a kick returner, a position he had not played in college. He can earn about 11 percent of what he made all season if his team wins. If a teammate had not pulled a muscle a few days before the season-opener, this player probably would have been on the inactive list for most of the season. And there Johnny Knox sits in the NFC locker room at Sun Life Stadium amid the ..."
Rivera: Leaving Bears 'opportunity to grow as a coach'
Comment
January 30
Daily Southtown
 
"Ron Rivera is doing just fine, thanks, since the Bears decided not to renew his contract as their defensive coordinator in 2007. Rivera immediately landed a job as the San Diego Chargers' linebackers coach and was elevated to defensive coordinator by 2008. The Chargers are the two-time defending AFC West champions, going 13-3 in 2009 before a loss to the New York Jets in the playoffs. But Rivera, a player with the Super Bowl XX champion Bears, hadn't exactly been looking for an exit out of Chicago. ''It was very hard to leave the Bears, having played there for nine years and starting my coaching career there,'' Rivera told the Sun-Times on Friday. ''It was tough. But it's all a part of ..."
Martz meeting might mean Bears are close
Comment
January 30
Daily Southtown
 
"Despite enduring endless criticism locally and nationally, the Bears appear to be nearing a conclusion in their search for an offensive coordinator. The prevailing sentiment is that Bears general manager Jerry Angelo and head coach Lovie Smith have bungled and botched their way through this process, lamenting coaches canceling interviews and others bowing out before a decision was rendered. But here's the rub: The Bears haven't offered the job to anyone. Angelo provided a hint Jan. 5 that the Bears might do their due diligence when he said hiring the right person for this job ''is probably the biggest decision we've had to make since I've been here, other than hiring a head coach.'' ..."
Bears nearing finish line in coaching search
Comment
January 30
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Despite enduring endless criticism locally and nationally, the Bears appear to be nearing a conclusion in their search for an offensive coordinator. The prevailing sentiment is that Bears general manager Jerry Angelo and head coach Lovie Smith have bungled and botched their way through this process, lamenting coaches canceling interviews and others bowing out before a decision was rendered. But here's the rub: The Bears haven't offered the job to anyone. Angelo provided a hint Jan. 5 that the Bears might do their due diligence when he said hiring the right person for this job ''is probably the biggest decision we've had to make since I've been here, other than hiring a head coach.'' Well, ..."
Bears' Angelo unlikely to employ franchise tag
Comment
January 30
Chicago Tribune
 
"The franchise- and transition-tag numbers are unlikely to apply to the Bears this offseason because there is no one on the roster who figures to receive either of those designations from general manager Jerry Angelo. In an uncapped year, teams will be able to use one franchise and one transition tag to help limit player movement. In the past, teams have been limited to one or the other, and the Bears haven't used the mechanism since putting the franchise tag on linebacker Lance Briggs for the 2007 season. Angelo has stated that he likes to avoid using tags on players because of the acrimony they can create."
Mike Martz interviews for Bear's O-Coordinator position
Comment
January 30
Chicago Tribune
 
"Coach Lovie Smith might have played his trump card Friday when he brought Mike Martz to town to interview for the Bears' offensive coordinator position. After going through the process, investigating scores of candidates and appeasing other powers in the organization, Smith has come back to the candidate who may have made the most sense to him all along. And the next step might be an announcement Martz will be the man to replace Ron Turner, though Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers has not been eliminated from Bears' consideration. Sources close to the situation said the Bears are intent on making a hire as soon as possible, perhaps this weekend. They do not want to wait until ..."
Kreutz's surgery: Bone spur, not tendon
Comment
January 29
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Olin Kreutz's agent said a Chicago Tribune report claiming Kreutz underwent Achilles tendon surgery that will require four to six months of rehabilitation was exaggerated. Mark Bartelstein told the Sun-Times on Thursday that the Bears center did not have his Achilles tendon repaired but rather had a bone spur removed near the tendon, which caused him great pain and limited his effectiveness this season. He said Kreutz would be riding a stationary bike within 10 days. ''If you had a rock in your shoe and you walked around with a rock in your shoe, it gets painful and you're afraid to walk on it and you want to take pressure off it, and then you take the rock out of your shoe and it feels ..."
Bears, Cutler huddle with Rogers
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January 29
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Here's something the Bears' Jay Cutler may not know about Kevin Rogers, even if he did meet with the Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks coach during Rogers' interview Thursday at Halas Hall: Rogers' reaction to mistakes by his quarterback is ''not a happy sight,'' former Virginia Tech quarterback Bryan Randall said of his former position coach. ''I've seen that face before. It's not one you want to see. ''If it's in the middle of the game, he's going to let you have it, especially if you should know better. He's going to let you know you're better than that and he's going to get on you.'' Rogers, who has worked with Brett Favre, Tavaris Jackson, Sage Rosenfels and Gus Frerotte in recent years, ..."
Pro Bowl takes Bears rookie Knox beyond his goal
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January 29
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Like any receiver, Bears rookie Johnny Knox established 1,000 yards as a preseason goal. But the fifth-round pick didn't imagine the Pro Bowl was a possibility. ''I had a lot of goals set before the season,'' Knox said, ''but, honestly, this was not one that I set. Not for my rookie year. But I'm glad it worked out for me.'' Knox was added to the Pro Bowl roster as the NFC's kickoff returner after Minnesota Vikings rookie Percy Harvin bowed out because of migraines. Knox actually was ranked second in the NFC, a spot ahead of Harvin, in kickoff-return average. He averaged 29.0 yards per kickoff, including a 102-yard touchdown, and his 45 catches matched the most by a Bears rookie in ..."