Quote:
Originally Posted by coldsteelonice84
I don't really understand this sentiment. I understand the Bears are traditionally cheap. I understand they have gravitated toward inexperienced coaches. However, and I admit, I never understood it, but the fact remains, they made Lovie Smith one of the highest paid head coaches in the NFL and he has never won a super bowl. Obviously, they must have believed in him quite strongly to do that, but if they believed in someone else just as strongly or even moreso, why wouldn't they make that guy the highest paid head coach?
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It's all about timing. Lovie was one of the lower-paid coaches in the league and he requested a raise in the final year of his deal in the immediate aftermath of the team's Super Bowl run. They were effectively stuck between giving him a big raise or refusing and likely losing him after being their most successful head coach since Ditka and heading up a team that many assumed would be right back in the playoff hunt for the next couple years.
They're cheap, but they're not stupid in Halas Hall.... or they're not that stupid. Fan backlash would've been immense if they kept on paying the guy his "low" salary compared to the rest of the league after winning the NFC championship. And, if the team had another great year, they'd run the risk of him demanding an even bigger salary or going to another team readily willing to pay for a proven coach and leave the Bears to deal with that black eye.