Chicago Bears hire Marc Trestman as next head coach

Trestman in Grey Cup form. (Photo coachmarctrestman.com)

CHICAGO - The Bears have found Lovie Smith's successor.

Early Wednesday morning, in a team press release, Chicago announced they have hired Marc Trestman as the 14th coach in team history. Trestman has spent the last eight years out of the NFL, and won back-to-back Grey Cups with the CFL's Montreal Alouettes in 2011 and 2012.

“The skill set that Marc has, being an offensive mind, and then his great relationships that he's had with quarterbacks historically in the NFL and the work he's done with them makes him a good fit for the job,” Alouettes general manager Jim Popp told the Chicago Tribune.

Funny thing is, when GM Phil Emery hired his new coach yesterday, he did it on Trestman's 57th birthday. That's pretty cool.

Trestman is known around the League as a quarterback guru, and was probably brought in to "fix" Jay Cutler. Trestman worked with the beleaguered Bears QB in 2006, preparing him for the NFL draft combine.

Trestman was San Francisco's offensive coordinator from 1995-1996, and worked with a QB many people should know - Hall of Famer Steve Young.

''The CFL is just a place where he's gotten to show that he's a dynamic leader,'' Young said in an interview on the ''Waddle & Silvy Show'' on WMVP-AM on Tuesday. ''He's a dynamic straight-shooter. He's a soft-spoken guy, but the Bears with their defensive history...this is going to be a great hire.[He'll hire a] great defensive coordinator. Keep that tradition up and watch the flowering of a great offense. Look what's happening in San Francisco. That's what the Bears could be. And I think that's what Marc Trestman can bring them.''

The Bears will officially announce the hire Wednesday afternoon.

Emery brought in a reported 13 candidates to interview for the head coaching position, including Trestman, Indianapolis OC Bruce Arians (who was the other finalist), and Seattle OC Darrell Bevell. The Bears were definitely looking for an offensive-minded coach.

I knew Trestman when he worked as offensive coordinator for Chuck Amato at North Carolina State University from 2005-2006. The team won the Meineke Car Care Bowl in 2005, defeating a good South Florida team 14-0.

Good luck, Marc.
His name won't immediately translate to the Bears fan base, so in the interim, here's proof of his successes in the last few years up north...
((HT: GoAlsGodotcom/TSN))