Lovie Smith denies huddling with Jay Cutler before Mike Martz was fired
By Sean Jensen sjensen@suntimes.com January 5, 2012 10:42PM
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Updated: February 7, 2012 8:33AM
Coach Lovie Smith said that quarterback Jay Cutler didn’t influence Mike Martz’s future with the team.
Smith told the Sun-Times that he talked to Martz on Tuesday, informed his staff and then talked to Cutler, who was at Halas Hall that day. A report Thursday said that Cutler went to the team’s headquarters and let Smith know he was in favor of Martz not returning, before the coaches had a chance to meet.
“That didn’t happen,” Smith said. “I didn’t talk to Jay until after I talked to Mike.”
Smith said that Cutler reiterated his support of the coach’s decision.
Martz told the Sun-Times on Wednesday that he had nothing against Smith or Cutler.
“There’s nothing to analyze,” Martz said. “This is a personal thing for me.”
Martz on Smith: “It was a thrill to join Lovie’s staff.”
On Cutler, Martz said, “Jay is so talented. He got comfortable [in the offense]. But that’s on Jay, not myself.”
