Lovie Smith

Lovie Smith

Lovie Lee Smith is the head coach of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Fighting Illini football team. He was previously the headCoach of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League from 2004 to 2012. Smith has been to the Super Bowl twice, as the defensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams and as the head Coach for the Bears in 2006.

About Lovie Smith in brief

Summary Lovie SmithLovie Lee Smith is the head coach of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Fighting Illini football team. He was previously the headCoach of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League from 2004 to 2012. Smith has been to the Super Bowl twice, as the defensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams and as the head Coach for the Bears in 2006. Smith was born in Gladewater and raised in Big Sandy, Texas. He played college football at University of Tulsa under head coach John Cooper and was a two-time All-American at linebacker and defensive back. Smith began his NFL coaching career as a linebacker coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also served as defensive backs coach at the University. of Tennessee and Ohio State University. He is married to his longtime girlfriend, former NFL star and current ESPN analyst Amy Trachtenberg. The couple have two children, a son, and a daughter, both of whom have played in the NFL. Smith is a member of the NFL Hall of Fame, having been inducted into the NFL’s Ring of Honor in 2007. He has also been named to the NFL’s Pro Football Hall of Famer and the Pro Football Writers of Fame. He won the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year Award for the 2005 season, when the Bears finished second in the league in terms of yardage, while allowing the fewest points in the League. Smith also won the NFC Divisional Championship in 2006 with the Bears’ top playoff seed, earning the NFC.

Divisional playoff game win against the Seattle Seahawks during the 2006 Divisional playoffs. Smith won the NFL Divisional championship in 2008 with the Chicago Cardinals, who finished the season with the second-ranked scoring offense and fifth-ranked defense. The Bears finished the 2008 season with a 13–3 record, earning them the top seed in the NFC playoffs. The team ultimately lost to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXVI in one of the biggest Super Bowl upsets of all time. Smith and the Bears drew criticism in 2006, by trading away quarterback Rex Grossman, who struggled to lead the Bears’ offense during the later portion of the season. Smith stood by Grossman when questioned by the media, stating, “Rex Grossman is our quarterback.” The Bears won the 2006 NFC Division Championship with a 27–24 victory against the defending NFC Division champion Seattle Seahawks in the playoff game. In 2008, Smith was named the NFL Defensive Player of the year for the first time in his coaching career, after leading the Bears to a 13-3 record and the NFC Championship Game win against Seattle. In 2009, he was awarded the AFC Defensive Player Of the Year award for the second time, after helping the Bears win the NFC North title and advance to the NFC Conference Championship Game in the playoffs.