Bears Need Lovie

For a team that just appeared in Super Bowl XLI in Miami earlier this month, the Bears have had quite a few coaching changes. That’s highly unusual. QB coach Wade Wilson left to be QB coach in Dallas. Ron Rivera is gone after the team decided not to renew his contract, and linebacker coach Bob Babich replaced Rivera.

Now everyone’s attention is turning to coach Lovie Smith, who will enter the 2007 season in the last year of his contract. He is the lowest-paid head coach in the NFL. With all the other coaching changes, it’s even more critical that the Bears retain Smith as head coach to provide the vision and continuity that the team needs to return to the Super Bowl.

Smith has said he would like to remain the Bears’ head coach for the rest of his career, and the Bears claim they want him too. The fact is, the Bears need Smith more than Smith needs the Bears.

After four seasons under Smith’s leadership, the Bears seem to finally be getting into a groove. I’d like to see that continue if possible. But if the Bears and Smith cannot agree on a deal, it would force the Bears to get used to an entirely new coaching regime all over again.