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The Chicago Bears have announced the firing of head coach Marc Trestman.
Marc Trestman fired by @ChicagoBears (via @MikeSilver): http://t.co/upldVSCs4i http://t.co/XmMLiGJ4w4
Trestman’s firing comes during the NFL’s annual clearing house day of Black Monday. Trestman joins former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan and former Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith as coaches who were let go. Jim Harbaugh and the San Francisco 49ers agreed to mutually part ways.
Here is what you need to know:
1. Trestman Had Only Been With Chicago For 2 Seasons
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On January 16, 2013, Marc Trestman was hired by the Chicago Bears and became the team’s 14th head coach in franchise history. Trestman replaced the previous head coach Lovie Smith — a defensive head coach — who was fired in December 2012.
2. As Head Coach, Trestman Was 13-19 in Both Seasons
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Trestman finished 2013 at 8-8, but not before losing the final two games of the season by a combined score of 87-39 to the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers — two teams who eventually made the playoffs and knocked Chicago out. He finished 2014 an incredibly disappointing 5-11, and the season seemed lost from the middle of October.
3. His Starting QB Jay Cutler Was 10-16 in Those Games as Well
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Trestman was originally hired because he was known as an innovative offensive mind whose style would translate back well into the NFL. The Bears dished out a mega 6-year, $126 million contract extension to Jay Cutler before 2014, and the pair just seemed like they never quite clicked.
In a move that seemed to reek of Trestman trying to save his job, he benched Cutler in the 2nd-to-last game of 2014 for Jimmy Clausen.
4. Trestman Was a Decorated Canadian Football League Head Coach Before 2013.
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Trestman’s career coaching record in the CFL was 59-31 from 2008-2012. In that time frame, he became the CFL’s best head coach, winning multiple awards in the process including:
2009 CFL Coach of the Year
2009 Grey Cup Champion
2010 Grey Cup Champion
2012 East Division Championship
5. Trestman Still Has Almost 20 years of NFL Coaching Experience
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From 1985-2004, Trestman bounced around eight different teams under various offensive coaching positions — running backs coach, quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator — including: the Minnesota Vikings (RB, 1984-85, QB 1990-91), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (QB, 1987), the Cleveland Browns (QB, 1988, OC, 1989), San Francisco 49ers (OC/QB, 1995-96), Detroit Lions (QB, 1997), Arizona Cardinals (OC & QB, 1998-00), Oakland Raiders (QB/OC, 2001-03), Miami Dolphins (Assistant HC, 2004).
Trestman was a part of successful stints with the 49ers, Cardinals and Raiders, which included coaching Rich Gannon during his 2002 MVP campaign and helping lead the Raiders to Super Bowl XXXVII where they would eventually lose 48-21 to the Buccaneers. Although he may not land another head coaching job, he may land an offensive coordinator position for another team during the offseason.
