Please Stop Calling Mike Martz A QB Whisperer. He’s Not

Mike Martz retired in 2012. He was pretty much a non-entity in the NFL until he randomly resurfaced a couple of weeks ago when he railroaded Justin Fields for being a terrible quarterback. Then after the Chicago Bears starter led his team to a big comeback win over San Francisco, Martz doubled down by saying the former 1st round pick “Can’t do anything at all.” It is clear he doesn’t believe Fields can hang in the NFL.

Former GM Michael Lombardi echoed his agreement not long after that. He thinks people should take those words to heart. Few people can evaluate the quarterback position better than Martz. There is no denying the man enjoyed success, especially in his early years with the Rams. He earned his reputation as a wizard, at least for five or six years. There is also a possibility he may end up right. Fields may not work out.

However, I’m tired of people like Lombardi proclaiming Martz to be some quarterback savant. He isn’t, and there is lots of evidence to prove it.

Former Super Bowl winning coach Mike Martz told @The33rdTeamFB that #Bears QB Justin Fields ”Can't do anything at all.”

And on #49ers Trey Lance: “He's not a great passer. Doesn’t have good skills. takes him a long time to set himself and throw the football.” pic.twitter.com/K1iDU07bbB

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 13, 2022

Today on #TheLombardiLine, @mlombardiNFL gave his reaction to Mike Martz being critical of Trey Lance and Justin Fields.@Ben_Wilson_1 | #WatchNow ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/D8VNNPIGHY

— VSiN (@VSiNLive) September 14, 2022

Mike Martz facts people refuse to acknowledge.

#1 – He didn’t discover Kurt Warner.

Everybody knows the story by now. Warner goes from the graveyard shift at a supermarket to league MVP of the eventual champion St. Louis Rams in 1999. His offensive coordinator during that ascent was Martz. There is no denying the coach was excellent at orchestrating productive offenses. However, people continue to give him credit for unearthing Warner. That was never the case. Warner signed with the Rams in December 1997, over a year before Martz arrived. He spent his first season with the team playing in NFL Europe and then as a backup in 1998. Martz reaped the rewards of Warner’s success only because Trent Green tore his ACL in the ’99 preseason.

#2 – He didn’t draft Marc Bulger.

This is another myth perpetrated by people who view Mike Martz through rose-tinted glasses. Yes, he was the one who ended up helping Bulger reach NFL success. However, it’s worth noting a few things. The Rams didn’t draft the quarterback. People always forget that. He went in the 6th round to the New Orleans Saints, got cut that same year, signed with the Atlanta Falcons, got cut again, and finally signed with the Rams. He would remain the backup until injuries sidelined Warner in 2002. Martz had no clue Bulger would end up as good as he was. The guy was signed on a flier. Oh, and just so we’re clear? His best overall season came in 2006, the year after Martz left.

#3 – His actual QB evaluation track record is terrible.

If the coach were as gifted as he claims to be at evaluating the position, one would think he’d have a ton of success at finding hidden gems in the draft. The reality is far, far different. Here is a list of every QB his teams drafted during his time as a coordinator and head coach.

• 1999 – Joe Germaine (4th round)
• 2002 – Steve Bellisari (6th round)
• 2004 – Jeff Smoker (6th round)
• 2005 – Ryan Fitzpatrick (7th round)
• 2007 – Drew Stanton (2nd round)
• 2010 – Dan LeFevour (6th round)
• 2011 – Nathan Enderle (5th round)

Four of those picks (Bellisari, Smoker, LeFevour, and Enderle) never threw a single pass in their NFL careers. Stanton, his highest selection, had a career passer rating of 66.3. The only outlier was Fitzpatrick, who spent his entire career as a journeyman. Oh, and here’s a bonus. Martz passed on Aaron Brooks and Tyrod Taylor in 1999 and 2011, respectively.

#4 – His own former QB thinks his Fields take is off base.

lol. I wanna make sure it's clear that I'm on the opposite side of these takes. We can circle back in half a decade and find out who's right.
I love and appreciate MM but this ain't it—wow. This is borderline just weird af. https://t.co/XVc5AoHiBq

— The QB School (@theqbschool) September 13, 2022

Mike Martz once said that J.T. O’Sullivan could be the “best quarterback I’ve ever coached.” He said this in 2008 as offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers. Remember that Martz went with O’Sullivan as the starter that season over another guy on the roster named Alex Smith. You remember him, right? The eventual three-time Pro Bowler. O’Sullivan had a 73.6 passer rating in his eight starts. Better still, the former QB stated through his QB School Twitter page that he completely disagrees with the Fields take. That should tell you something.