Mike Martz, who gained fame for his "Greatest Show on Turf" offenses with the St. Louis Rams more than a decade ago, has decided to retire from coaching.
He told the Chicago Sun-Times on Monday that "it's time" for him to leave the game.
Mike Martz's early offenses in St. Louis made him an appealing coaching commodity long after the Rams fired him. (AP Photo)
Martz, 60, resigned as Chicago Bears' offensive coordinator Jan. 3 after two seasons with the team. He was heavily criticized in 2010 for not giving quarterback Jay Cutler adequate protection; this season, Chicago's offense suffered after injuries to Cutler and No. 1 running back Matt Forte.
Chicago was Martz's last stop in a two-decade NFL coaching career spent mainly with the Rams, in both Los Angeles and St. Louis. He cultivated a reputation as a mad genius with his first three St. Louis offenses, led by Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt. The Rams led the NFL in yardage and scoring from 1999 to 2001. The '99 Rams, under head coach Dick Vermeil, won Super Bowl XXXIV.
Martz succeeded Vermeil after that Super Bowl victory and served as head coach until 2005, when he was fired. He then bounced around the NFL as an assistant and coordinator, working for the Washington Redskins, the San Francisco 49ers, the Detroit Lions and the Bears.
NFL Network was first to report Martz's retirement.
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