The San Francisco 49ers have decided to cut ties with head coach Mike Singletary following another loss, which dropped them to 5-10 for the season. The 25-17 loss to the St. Louis Rams eliminated the team from playoff contention, marking the eighth consecutive year they have been denied a playoff bid.
This consistent failure, combined with Singletary’s sometimes overly passionate demeanor as a head coach ultimately led to his demise. Singletary, 52, went 5-10 this season after posting an 8-8 record in his first full season as head coach. Following the firing, he released the following statement:
“One of the greatest experiences of my life was having the opportunity to coach the San Francisco 49ers. What made it so special were the players. They were some of the most outstanding men I have ever been around in my life. The coaches were truly professionals. I wish the 49ers nothing but the best. I am thankful to the York family for having given me the opportunity to be a head coach in the NFL. I am indebted to them for that. I am also thankful for the faithful fans, I am just sorry I couldn’t give them more.”
With the release of Singletary, there are now just five black head coaches in the NFL, with a sixth (Leslie Frazier of the Minnesota Vikings) only holding the job on an interim basis. –djr
