Coach Mike Singletary was fired by the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night December 26, after he had a blowup shouting match with his quarterback Troy Smith. Things got even more out of hand when a teammate came over and started smearing Smith’s face with a towel. Singletary lost complete control of his team.
Last night was a culmination of two disappointing seasons, including a 5-10 showing this year for a franchise that expected to win the NFC West. Singletary had made a name for himself as a coach with that bold “I want winners!” declaration more than two years ago.
Singletary was told of his dismissal back at the team’s Santa Clara complex.
“I want to thank Mike Singletary for the passion and effort that he brought to this organization,” York said in a statement. “He is a tremendous person for whom I will always have great respect.”
“Obviously, we didn’t achieve the things we set out to achieve. We should be a playoff team,” York said in the locker room. “We aren’t a playoff team this year. Very disappointed about that. We need to figure out how we can get into the playoffs and how we can start competing for Super Bowls.”
San Francisco began the year with high hopes of winning the West and reaching the postseason for the first time since 2002. Singletary was 18-22 in two-plus seasons.
“One of the greatest experiences of my life was having the opportunity to coach the San Francisco 49ers,” Singletary said in a statement. “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.”
“You know what, I’ll put it this way: a personal failure. I’m the head coach of this team and obviously wanted us to do better, felt that we could do better,” Singletary said after the game Sunday. “There are some obvious questions that I hoped would be answered as the season went on, and obviously were not answered. When that happens, you end up out of the playoffs.
“I take full responsibility for every unanswered question.”
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