Lovie Smith patrolled the Bears sideline for nine seasons. (Photo: Brace Hemmelgarn, USA TODAY Sports) Lovie Smith won a lot of games for the Chicago Bears, but the NFL is a "what have you done for me lately" league. Despite going 10-6 in 2012, Smith was fired Monday after nine seasons as Chicago's head coach, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Though Smith's resume sports an 83-66 mark, the Bears had reached the playoffs just once since Smith guided them to Super Bowl XLI following the 2006 season (they lost the NFC Championship Game to the rival Green Bay Packers to end the 2010 campaign). BLACK MONDAY TRACKER: Who's safe, who isn't Though Smith was revered by his players, GM Phil Emery may have been more swayed by the team's second-half collapses the past two seasons. The Bears started this season 7-1, but a 3-5 finish — thanks in part to a banged-up defense and spotty offensive play — and unforgiving tiebreakers left them outside the NFC postseason field. Chicago finished 8-8 in 2011 after a 7-3 start, though injuries to quarterback Jay Cutler and running back Matt Forte were largely to blame for the nosedive. Emery was hired in the offseason and provided depth to the roster while swinging a trade for wideout Brandon Marshall. In the end, it wasn't quite enough to save Smith.
Source : http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/bears/2012/12/31/lovie-smith-fired/1800371/