Black and Blue Review
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1999
Offensive coordinator Mike Martz helps the Rams win their first Super Bowl.
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2001
Martz, now the head coach in St. Louis, leads “The Greatest Show on Turf” to another NFC title. The Rams lose Super Bowl XXXVI to New England.
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2007
The Lions become the only team in NFL history to go 0-16. Martz is fired after two seasons as Detroit’s offensive coordinator.
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2007
The Bears select tight end Greg Olsen with the 31st-overall pick in the NFL Draft.
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2008
Martz is fired after one season as the offensive coordinator in San Francisco.
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2009
Olsen sets career highs with 60 receptions, 612 yards and eight touchdowns.
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2010
Bears head coach Lovie Smith hires Martz, who does not value tight ends, to be his offensive coordinator.
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2010
The Bears attempt to trade Olsen. According to the Chicago Tribune, New England offers a second-round pick in the upcoming draft. But the Patriots eventually back out of the deal, and use their second-round choice on tight end Rob Gronkowski.
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2010
Olsen’s numbers drop to 41 receptions, 404 yards and five touchdowns.
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2011
The Bears again try to shop Olsen, but they want a second-round pick in exchange. No one bites. Shortly before training camp, they trade Olsen to Carolina for the Panthers’ 2012 third-round pick.
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2011
Teamed with fellow former Miami Hurricanes tight end Jeremy Shockey and offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, Olsen catches 45 passes for 540 yards and five touchdowns.
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2012
Olsen sets careers highs with 69 catches and 843 yards
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2013
Olsen sets a career high with 73 receptions.
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2014
Through the first four weeks of the season, Olsen is tied for fifth in receptions and sixth in receiving yards among tight ends.
COMMENTS MADE THIS WEEK ABOUT ARGUABLY THE BEST TRADE IN PANTHERS’ HISTORY:
Former Bears General Manager Jerry Angelo, to 87.7 The Game in Chicago:
“It was a mistake to trade him. I understand he wasn’t the ideal fit in the scheme, but we let our best receiver go,” … “That’s on me. I understand what the coaches were saying, but you don’t let your best player – one of your better players – out the door. Everything he’s doing hasn’t surprised me.”
Former Panthers General Manager Marty Hurney, to BBR:
“We knew it was a situation where the timing was right. Chicago wasn’t using tight ends and we felt Greg was one of the best tight ends in the league.”
Panthers Head Coach Ron Rivera, to Carolina media:
“Marty made the trade and, lo and behold, we got exactly who we thought we were going to get and more,” … “There’s a lot of good tight ends in this league. It’s easy for a guy to get overshadowed, and I think he deserves a little bit more credit than he’s gotten.”
Olsen, to Carolina media:
“I couldn’t have been happier with the way things worked out. At the time, as a young guy being traded from a team that you thought you were a key contributor to, was something that didn’t exactly sit great,” … “They didn’t want me, but fortunately the Panthers did and I’m still here.”