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Mike Martz
Michael Martz (born May 13, 1951) is an American football coach. Best known for his coaching tenure with the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League (NFL), he served as the offensive coordinator for the Rams' Greatest Show on Turf offense in 1999 that led the franchise to its first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXIV. Martz subsequently served as the head coach of the Rams from 2000 to 2005, where his teams reached the playoffs four times, won two division titles, and achieved a franchise-best 14–2 record in 2001 en route to an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVI.
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 the team moved to St. Louis, he served 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 1,781 yards in 1995 and being 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.
In 1999, Martz returned to the Rams as Dick Vermeil's offensive coordinator. During the season, Martz's number one ranked offense scored 526 points, the fourth highest in NFL history, en route to returning the Rams to the playoffs after a 10-year absence and winning Super Bowl XXXIV 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." Vermeil further added, "Kurt Warner came off the street, and he made him NFL player of the year...I have great respect for him, and I think he has great respect for me. We took a team to the Super Bowl. Without him we don't go."
Quarterback Marc Bulger said about Martz, "He was by far the smartest football mind I've ever been around. The things he was teaching was so far ahead of what others were teaching."
Vermeil retired on February 2, 2000 (although he soon returned to coach the Kansas City Chiefs), and Martz was promoted to the head coaching position that same day. 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.
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 Philadelphia Eagles to set up a matchup in Super Bowl XXXVI against the New England Patriots. In a game where they were favored by two touchdowns, the Rams lost in a 20-17 upset. Martz was questioned for sticking with a passing attack despite New England sending in extra defensive backs for plays that had them "latch on to the receivers and hang on"; star running back Marshall Faulk ran for just 17 carries for 76 yards while Warner threw two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown). In 2002, the Rams had a see-saw season in which Warner played despite injuries to his throwing hand that saw him commit an unusually high number of turnovers. 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. By this point, Martz clashed with team president of football operations Jay Zygmunt over personnel decisions.
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Mike Martz
Michael Martz (born May 13, 1951) is an American football coach. Best known for his coaching tenure with the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League (NFL), he served as the offensive coordinator for the Rams' Greatest Show on Turf offense in 1999 that led the franchise to its first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXIV. Martz subsequently served as the head coach of the Rams from 2000 to 2005, where his teams reached the playoffs four times, won two division titles, and achieved a franchise-best 14–2 record in 2001 en route to an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVI.
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 the team moved to St. Louis, he served 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 1,781 yards in 1995 and being 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.
In 1999, Martz returned to the Rams as Dick Vermeil's offensive coordinator. During the season, Martz's number one ranked offense scored 526 points, the fourth highest in NFL history, en route to returning the Rams to the playoffs after a 10-year absence and winning Super Bowl XXXIV 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." Vermeil further added, "Kurt Warner came off the street, and he made him NFL player of the year...I have great respect for him, and I think he has great respect for me. We took a team to the Super Bowl. Without him we don't go."
Quarterback Marc Bulger said about Martz, "He was by far the smartest football mind I've ever been around. The things he was teaching was so far ahead of what others were teaching."
Vermeil retired on February 2, 2000 (although he soon returned to coach the Kansas City Chiefs), and Martz was promoted to the head coaching position that same day. 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.
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 Philadelphia Eagles to set up a matchup in Super Bowl XXXVI against the New England Patriots. In a game where they were favored by two touchdowns, the Rams lost in a 20-17 upset. Martz was questioned for sticking with a passing attack despite New England sending in extra defensive backs for plays that had them "latch on to the receivers and hang on"; star running back Marshall Faulk ran for just 17 carries for 76 yards while Warner threw two interceptions (one returned for a touchdown). In 2002, the Rams had a see-saw season in which Warner played despite injuries to his throwing hand that saw him commit an unusually high number of turnovers. 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. By this point, Martz clashed with team president of football operations Jay Zygmunt over personnel decisions.