Mike Martz Michael Martz ( born May 13 , 1951 ) is a former NFL head coach and offensive coordinator . He is a current NFL analyst for Fox Sports with Ron Pitts . Martz is best known as the offensive coordinator behind the St . Louis Rams high - powered 1999 team that won the Super Bowl . As a head coach in the NFL Martz was 56 - 36 in 5⅓ seasons as the St . Louis Rams head coach . He won two division titles , had four playoff berths including a NFC championship and a trip to Super Bowl XXXVI . Early career . Martz played tight end at San Diego Mesa College , University of California , Santa Barbara , and Fresno State University and graduated " summa cum laude " from Washington University in St . Louis in 1972 . The following year his coaching career began at Bullard High School in Fresno , California . From 1974 to 1991 , he was an assistant coach at seven colleges and universities , including two stints as offensive coordinator at Arizona State University . In 1992 Martz was hired as quarterback coach for the Los Angeles Rams and held that post through 1994 . In 1995 , when team moved to St . Louis he was hired as wide receivers coach in 1995 - 96 . Under his teaching Isaac Bruce exploded onto the NFL scene , going from 21 receptions in 1994 to 119 and 1781 yards in 1995 . And Bruce was voted to his first Pro Bowl in 1996 . Martz left the Rams in 1997 to become quarterback coach at the Washington Redskins and helped develop Trent Green , who signed to be Rams QB in 1999 , the season Martz was hired to be the offensive coordinator . NFL coaching career . St . Louis Rams . In 1999 , Martz was hired as the offensive coordinator of the St . Louis Rams by Dick Vermeil , who went on to win Super Bowl XXXIV that season . During the season , Martz ' s number one ranked offense scored 526 points , the fourth highest in NFL history . Regarding Martz ' s impact on the season , Vermeil stated , " I can ' t think , in my history of coaching , of any assistant who came into an NFL franchise and made the immediate impact that Mike Martz did . " Martz was named head coach of the Rams on February 2 , 2000 , after Dick Vermeil retired ( although Vermeil soon returned to coach the Kansas City Chiefs ) . He led the Rams to a 10 – 6 regular season record , but they lost in the 1st round of the playoffs to the New Orleans Saints 31 – 28 . Head coach . 2001 saw the Rams cruise to a 14 – 2 record ( with Martz ' s signature , fast - paced , quick - striking offense - - nicknamed " the Greatest Show on Turf " by the media - - quarterbacked by two - time league MVP Kurt Warner ) and the NFC West title . Martz ' s Rams went on to win the NFC Championship against the Eagles , before losing Super Bowl XXXVI to New England . In 2002 the Rams had a see - saw season in which Kurt Warner played injured and committed an unusually high number of turnovers . Also , star running back Marshall Faulk was no longer the factor he had been in previous years - - although many critics blamed this on Martz ' s tendency to emphasize pass plays , at the expense of running plays . In 2003 , Marc Bulger ' s first full year as a starter , the Rams fielded a much - improved defense under defensive coordinator Lovie Smith and led the NFL in forced turnovers , and they posted a 12 – 4 regular season record and made the playoffs . However , the Rams lost at home in the NFC divisional playoffs to the Carolina Panthers in a game that would have put them in the NFC title game . In that game , the Rams had the ball on the Panthers ' 15 - yard line with 42 seconds remaining and trailing by 3 points . Rather than go for the win in regulation , Martz made the controversial decision to run out the clock and settle for a game - tying field goal and overtime . The decision proved costly for the Rams as they lost in double overtime . In 2004 , the Rams got off to a slow start and Martz ' s popularity with the fans began to wane ; the " online community " was particularly hostile . Despite the early struggles , a late - season rally combined with a weak NFC conference allowed the Rams to sneak into the playoffs as a wild - card with an 8 – 8 record . They had to overcome an unusual number of injuries , but still managed to beat the Seattle Seahawks in the first round of the playoffs - - making NFL history by becoming the first team with a non - winning ( regular season ) record to win a postseason game . The Rams would go on to lose to the Falcons in the divisional round . The loss of defensive coordinator Lovie Smith , who left to become head coach of the Chicago Bears - - and took two of his assistant coaches with him - - clearly hurt the team . On October 10 , 2005 , Martz took a leave of absence from the Rams to treat a persistent bacterial infection in his heart . His Assistant Head Coach , Joe Vitt , became Interim Head Coach for the rest of the season , and Offensive Coordinator Steve Fairchild chose the offensive plays . Martz told the Rams that after being examined and evaluated by his treating physician ( Dr . Victoria Fraser ) , his illness would prevent him from performing his duties . Martz immediately announced that he would miss the rest of the season . Martz allegedly had several conflicts with the Rams ' front office over the years , which reportedly came to a climax in 2005 , as well . While watching a Rams game on live television while recuperating at home , Team President John Shaw prevented Martz from relaying a play call to Fairchild by phone . Despite being on leave , Martz also periodically appeared in - person at team practices late in the season . Martz was given medical clearance to coach the Rams ' last regular season game , on New Year ' s Day , 2006 ; however , management refused to let him do so , and fired him the day after that game . Detroit Lions . Martz interviewed for head coaching vacancies in Oakland and New Orleans . After the interview , he withdrew his candidacy for the position in Oakland . After initially rejecting an offer due to financial considerations , on February 8 , 2006 , Martz accepted an offer from the Detroit Lions to be their offensive coordinator and their quarterbacks coach . In 2006 , his first season , the passing game improved considerably , ranking 7th overall behind quarterback Jon Kitna , who had his first 4 , 000 - yard season at age 34 . Detroit lost its first five games with Martz and finished 3 – 13 in his first season as coordinator . Though the offense obviously had its woes , Martz wasn ' t blamed for very much of the team ' s issues , as the defense was also bad and there were various injury and personnel issues . In 2007 , expectations were high despite the previous year ' s disaster , and it appeared Martz ' s system was actually beginning to work . The Lions looked to be playoff contenders , almost in competition with Green Bay for the division title at mid - season when they sat comfortably at 6 – 2 . Though Kitna was still sacked far too much during this span due mostly due to seven step drops and his inability to quickly read defenses , it was still a great improvement from the year before , and sacks aside , Detroit possessed a decent passing game . Shaun McDonald was their leading receiver with nine hundred and forty three yards . However , the team won only one more game that season and finished 7 – 9 . When even players began to complain of Martz ' s pass - happy and unbalanced offense , the Lions fired him in the offseason . However , the following season the Lions plummeted in the offensive rankings , and some players ( most notably Kitna ) were openly frustrated with the conservative play calling that replaced Martz ' system as the Lions became the first ever 0 - 16 team after firing Martz . San Francisco 49ers . On January 8 , 2008 , Martz signed a two - year deal to become the offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers , who hoped that a fourth offensive coordinator in four years could re - energize the offense ( and , most notably , QB Alex Smith ' s career ) . Smith would injure his shoulder in the preseason , however , and miss the entire 2008 season . Martz lobbied for journeyman J . T . O ' Sullivan to come in as his replacement , but O ' Sullivan and the 49ers offense struggled in the first half of the season . After 49ers coach Mike Nolan was fired and Mike Singletary was brought in as interim head coach , the team gave Shaun Hill a chance to establish himself as the starting quarterback . Martz was let go as offensive coordinator after the 49ers named Singletary Head Coach . Singletary reportedly wanted more of a ball - control , run - oriented offense than Martz is known for crafting . San Francisco ranked 23rd out of 32 teams in points scored , 24th in total yards , 13th in passing yards per game and 22nd in net passing yards per attempt , which represents an improvement over 2007 ( when SF ranked dead last in all 3 categories ) , but they ranked 26th in rushing yards & last in total turnovers . However , in 2007 the 49ers only turned the ball over one fewer time than in 2008 under Martz . Chicago Bears . On February 1 , 2010 , Martz was hired by the Chicago Bears as their offensive coordinator . During his first year in Chicago , the Bears offense was 28th in passing and 22nd in rushing despite having no significant injuries . Martz was known for aggressive play - calling , and the calls for a pass - happy offense led to quarterback Jay Cutler getting repeatedly sacked . The issue caused Cutler to say to Martz " Tell him I said fuck him ! " in a game against the Minnesota Vikings in 2011 . On January 3 , 2012 , Martz resigned his position with the Bears . He reportedly resigned over philosophical differences with Bears head coach Lovie Smith . Martz ' s final year was marked by a 7 - 3 start until season - ending injuries to quarterback Jay Cutler and running back Matt Forte . On January 16 , 2012 , Martz announced his retirement from coaching . Martz eventually became an analyst for Fox Sports and after that one season , 2012 , he retired from coaching football .