Lovie Smith Happy To Stay With Chicago Bears
By Michael Williams (4/3/2007)
Less than a month after the Chicago Bears reached the Super Bowl, the team decided to extend Lovie Smith’s contract. The extension will now run through 2011. This quelled the rumors and reports that were circulating about Smith wanting to coach another team. Even his agent had said that Smith was interested in coaching elsewhere.
Smith said that he had no doubts about getting an extension of contract from the Chicago Bears and that way the reason why he never thought about coaching another team.
Last season, Smith was the lowest paid coach in the NFL. He got $1.35 million and was scheduled to get $1.45 million in the last season of his four year contract with the Bears. Now with the extension, Smith will earn $23.45 million in the next five years, which means that each season he would be paid approximately $4.7 million.
This extension came as a surprise to everyone because just a week earlier, Smith’s agent, Frank Bauer, had said that the discussions had stopped and Smith was going to leave the Bears once his contract expired after the 2007 season. The Bears are considered to be tight fisted when it comes to payment and this negotiation went on to further solidify that image.
Smith was the NFL Coach of the Year in 2005 and he led the Bears to a 13-3 record, getting them the top seeding in the NFC last season. The Bears defeated Seattle and New Orleans before losing to Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl. This was the Bears’ first Super Bowl appearance since 1985 when they won the championship. |