Mike Martz discusses firing, Jon Kitna By NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • February 21, 2008
INDIANAPOLIS — Mike Martz spoke to a group of reporters Thursday at the NFL scouting combine and somewhat reluctantly discussed being fired last month as the Lions’ offensive coordinator.
Martz, now San Francisco’s offensive coordinator, tried to turn the conversation to the 49ers several times. But he was peppered with questions about the Lions, and wearing a blue fleece, holding a cup of Starbucks coffee and laughing at times, he shed a little light on the situation.
Here are the highlights:
Question: There is a perception you were made a scapegoat.
A: “I don’t know anything about any of that. I just do know that it was time for me to leave I think at that point. That’s just it.”
Q: When did you know?
A: “When they fired me.”
Q: When was that?
A: “Right after the season.”
Q: So they did fire you?
A: “Oh, yeah. They fired me. Absolutely fired me.”
Q: How is a firing a mutual thing?
A: “That I agreed I should probably go (laugh). When they fired me, it became mutual. I said, ‘You’re right. I probably should go.’ That’s how it became mutual.”
Q: Were you surprised the Lions danced around it, never saying you were fired?
A: “I can’t explain anything that they do. I can’t.”
Q: Would you like to expound on that?
A: “No.”
Q: Were your issues bigger with the players than the coaches?
A: “No. There might have been one or two guys that never really fully bought into it, but that’s going to happen. That’s the way it goes.”
Q: That never happened in St. Louis, did it?
A: “No.”
Q: Is that how things started to unravel?
A: “I don’t know. I really don’t know. I can’t answer any of that. I don’t know. I’m not there anymore. It’s in the rearview mirror.”
Q: When the Lions introduced Jim Colletto as offensive coordinator, they said they wanted to simplify the offense.
A: (Turning to St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter Jim Thomas) Doesn’t this sound familiar, Jim? … I don’t care. It has no bearing on anything to me.”
Q: Was the offense too complicated?
A: “Well, if I thought it was that complicated, we wouldn’t have done it.”
Q: After joining the 49ers, you said they were ahead of the Lions.
A: “I just think that they’ve been in rebuilding for the last three years or so, and they’ve done a great job in the draft, they really have. I think personnel-wise they’re getting really squared away. There’s still some things of course they need. But it’s exciting to see what they’ve done on the personnel standpoint.”
Q: You also said the Lions were short two tackles. Why are they short?
A: “Why? I don’t know. I don’t know what they’re short. Hey, look, I don’t work there anymore, guys.”
Q: You always said the run-pass ratio didn’t matter, but the Lions say they want to run the ball more.
A: “I’m sure they will. And that’s all good. That’s probably why I’m not there anymore. …You have to be pragmatic in this game. It’s good to run the ball, and when the game was in the balance, we did, as you’ll recall. But when things started to slip away a little bit, you have to do whatever it takes to win.”
Q: Was there conflict or a difference in philosophy behind the scenes?
A: “I wasn’t aware that there was any difference at all, to be honest with you. I was absolutely clueless to any difference.”
Q: Was rookie wide receiver Calvin Johnson overwhelmed?
A: “Not at all. In fact, just the opposite. He did a great job in preparation. Calvin got hurt in that Philadelphia game. He never recovered the rest of the year. He was never 100% the rest of the year. There were games where he really struggled to play and maybe shouldn’t have played, I don’t know. But it was important to him to play, which you have to give him credit for. He fought through it pretty good.”
Q: What does wide receiver Roy Williams need to do better?
A: (Declined to answer.)
Q: What about quarterback Jon Kitna?
A: “The thing I’ll miss the most about that organization is Jon Kitna – a phenomenal man and phenomenal player. He was way better than I thought he was going to be. I think he’s an elite player. I really do. You can’t find any flaw in Jon, not in my opinion. He’s accurate. He’s tough. The leadership. He’s smart. He’s what you’re looking for, that’s for sure.”
Q: Are the Lions still suffering from a losing syndrome?
A: “I’m not going to answer that. I’m not going to answer anything about that. Who knows? You’re over my head.”
Q: What will your emotions be when the Lions visit San Francisco in the fall?
A: “There’s nothing personal about that. You start making stuff personal, you just don’t focus well and you don’t play good. And you’re assuming that there’s a lot of anger and angst, and there’s just not. There just isn’t. Rod (Marinelli)’s a good friend.”
Fantasy Football: "Luck is where preparation meets opportunity"
Q: Were you surprised the Lions danced around it, never saying you were fired?
A: “I can’t explain anything that they do. I can’t.”
Q: Would you like to expound on that?
A: “No.”
Not sure why, but I just find that funny..very funny and sad
I see it as yet another confirmation of what we Lions fans have been saying for years.
I liked his dig at the retards (Lions braintrust) "the 9ers have been rebuilding for three years" As opposed to the Lions who'd been rebuilding for 6 years. "they’ve done a great job in the draft, they really have. I think personnel-wise they’re getting really squared away." As opposed to Millen's Lions who..well, we know what they've done.
It's a shame that we had to let the wrong coach leave, but that has always been the hallmark of Lions football. Marty Schottenheimer, Don Shula, heck even Dick Jauron. Yes Dick. Look at what Coach Knucklehead wants to do. Run the ball more and play good D. That has always been Jauron's recipe for football and he does it a heck of a lot better than Coach K. Gonna be a long season, fellas.
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Q: Were you surprised the Lions danced around it, never saying you were fired?
A: “I can’t explain anything that they do. I can’t.”
Q: Would you like to expound on that?
A: “No.”
Not sure why, but I just find that funny..very funny and sad
I see it as yet another confirmation of what we Lions fans have been saying for years.
I liked his dig at the retards (Lions braintrust) "the 9ers have been rebuilding for three years" As opposed to the Lions who'd been rebuilding for 6 years. "they’ve done a great job in the draft, they really have. I think personnel-wise they’re getting really squared away." As opposed to Millen's Lions who..well, we know what they've done.
It's a shame that we had to let the wrong coach leave, but that has always been the hallmark of Lions football. Marty Schottenheimer, Don Shula, heck even Dick Jauron. Yes Dick. Look at what Coach Knucklehead wants to do. Run the ball more and play good D. That has always been Jauron's recipe for football and he does it a heck of a lot better than Coach K. Gonna be a long season, fellas.
Lol, yeh that one line kinda sums up the Lions' philosophy - maybe they could somehow incorporate that into a team motto!
Fantasy Football: "Luck is where preparation meets opportunity"
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