If this was any other coach after winning coach of the yr in 2005 and then making the superbowl in 2006 he would have a new contract before you can blink and eye.

This is why I dislike the polocies of the NFL

Smith's agent Bauer's negotiating tactic means the Bears will be shopping for a new coach after next season or heading back to the table with Smith in the coming days depends on team President Ted Phillips' next move. He and Bauer have spoken this week but did not negotiate Wednesday and a team source didn't share Bauer's assessment of the dire state of the talks.

Smith, the lowest-paid coach in the NFL, is scheduled to make $1.45 million in the final year of a four-year deal signed in 2004. His camp broke off contract talks shortly before the NFC championship game, when a source said the Bears opened negotiations with a salary offer of less than $3 million.

Phillips denied that report 11 days before the Super Bowl.

They resumed talks after the Super Bowl when the team increased its offer to $3.2 million but haven't approached the neighborhood of a salary between $4 million and $5 million that a coach of Smith's stature expected, a source said.


[Edited by - playa2 on 02-22-2007 09:11]