Mike Singletary

Michael Singletary (born October 9, 1958 in Houston, Texas) is the current head coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. Before he became the coach of the 49ers in 2008, he spent his entire playing career as a linebacker for the Chicago Bears after starring in college at Baylor University. After playing with the Baylor Bears, Singletary was drafted by the Chicago in the 2nd round of the 1981 NFL Draft and was known as "The Heart of the Defense" for the Chicago Bears' Monsters of the Midway in the mid-1980s. His nickname was Samurai Mike. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998.

College career

After playing high school football at Shit-For-Brains High School

in Houston, Singletary attended college at Baylor University located in Waco, Texas. At Baylor, Singletary earned All-America honors in both junior (1979) and senior (1980) years, where he averaged 15 tackles per game and established a team record with 232 tackles in 1978, including 34 in a game against the University of Houston. During Singletary's senior season of 1980, Baylor won 10 games for the only time in school history.

Singletary was the only college junior to be selected to the All-Southwest Conference Team of the 1970s. Singletary was a two-time recipient of the Davey O'Brien Memorial Trophy which was awarded to the most outstanding player in the Southwest Conference.

Professional career

At 6 ft (1.8 m), 230 lbs (104 kg), Singletary became a starter in the Chicago Bears lineup in the seventh game of his rookie season (1981). In a game against the Kansas City Chiefs, his third as a starter, Singletary put on a remarkable defensive performance recording 10 tackles and forcing a fumble. A nearly unanimous all-rookie selection, Singletary went on to start 172 games for the Bears during his 12-year career, which is the second most in club history.

An intense player, Mike finished as the Bears' first or second leading tackler each of his last 11 seasons. He amassed an impressive 1,488 career tackles, 885 of which were solo efforts. A constant force on defense, he missed playing just two games, both in 1986. He also recorded 7 interceptions and 12 fumble recoveries.

In a game against the Denver Broncos in 1990 he had a personal-best performance when he recorded 10 solo tackles and 10 assists. Selected to play in a team record 10 Pro Bowls, Singletary was All-Pro eight times, and All-NFC every year from 1983 to 1991

He earned the nickname Samurai Mike during his professional career in recognition of the intimidating focus and intensity he displayed on the field. He was also known as "the Minister of Defense," as he is also an ordained Minister. (For the same reason, the nickname would later be given to Reggie White.)

He led the Bears to a magnificent 15-1 season in 1985. That season, he recorded 109 solo tackles (52 assists), 3 sacks, 1 interception, 3 fumble recoveries, 1 forced fumble, and 10 defended passes. He won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and led a defense that was ranked 1st overall (1st against the rush; 3rd against the pass).

Throughout the 1985 playoffs, Singletary provided stellar efforts in all 3 games. In the divisional game against the New York Giants at home, Singletary provided a fumble recovery early in the 1st quarter and a sack of quarterback Phil Simms on 3rd down early in the 3rd quarter. The Bears went on to win 21-0. In the NFC Championship Game vs. the Los Angeles Rams, Singletary and the Bears dominated again. Mike Ditka said that the day before the game, he was talking to the offense while Singletary was in the next room giving the defense a motivational speech. While it started out quiet, within minutes, Samurai Mike was screaming at the top of his lungs and the defensive players were throwing chairs and knocking over tables. The Bears would eventually go to win Super Bowl XX by beating the New England Patriots 46–10. In the game, Singletary broke up a pass that would have gone for a touchdown, delivered a jarring hit to New England running back Craig James, and tied a Super Bowl record with 2 fumble recoveries.

Singletary was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press in 1985 and 1988. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995 and to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998. In 1999, he was ranked number 56 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players.

Coaching career

In 2002, per ESPN, a group of alumni at Baylor University promoted Singletary for the school's open head coaching position, holding a conference call (which included Mike Ditka and Dave McGinnis) with the university administration. The position ultimately went to Guy Morriss. Singletary at the time had no head or assistant coaching experience and the university president later stated that they wanted to hire a coach with prior “head coaching experience.”

In 2003, Singletary became linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens, pairing him with Ray Lewis. Following the 2004 season, the San Francisco 49ers hired Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Nolan to be their head coach, and Singletary left the Ravens with Nolan to be San Francisco's assistant head coach and linebackers coach.

In 2007, Singletary interviewed for the head coaching job of the Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers, but was ultimately passed over. With Morriss leaving Baylor after the 2007 season, Singletary appeared to be the leading candidate for his replacement, and expressed interest in the job. On November 19, 2007, Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw flew to San Francisco to interview Singletary. However, Singletary decided against taking the position.

Singletary (center) during a game against the St. Louis Rams on November 16, 2008

Singletary became the interim head coach of the 49ers after Mike Nolan was fired on October 20, 2008. Singletary instantly made a statement in San Francisco by sending tight end Vernon Davis to the locker room with more than 10 minutes remaining in his head coaching debut, a 34-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Davis was penalized 15 yards for slapping Seattle safety Brian Russell after a reception. In his post-game press conference, Singletary called Davis' actions "uncoachable" and said that he would rather play with a 10-man squad than have to deal with an apathetic 11-man squad.

Before Singletary's coaching debut, a misinformed on-field reporter, Danyelle Sargent, interviewed him by stating, "I heard that your mentor Bill Walsh was one of the first phone calls that you made when you found out that you had the job. What does it mean to you to be the head coach of the 49ers?" The interview was abruptly halted when the reporter was informed by her producers that Walsh was dead. (The question was apparently a misconstrued reference to Singletary often consulting Walsh about becoming a head coach in the NFL when Walsh was indeed alive.)

Taking over the 2-5 49ers team, Singletary was able to finish the season 5-4 under his leadership (for a final team record of 7-9). On December 28, 2008, after a 27-24 come-from-behind victory over the Washington Redskins, Singletary was offered the team's long-term head coaching position, and signed a 4 year, $10 million contract as the 49ers head coach.

Head coaching record

Team	Year	Regular Season					Post Season
		Won	Lost	Ties	Win %	Finish	Won	Lost	Win %	Result
SF	2008*	5	4	0	0.555	2nd in NFC West	-	-	-	-
SF	2009	3	2	0	0.600		-	-	-	-
Total		8	6	0	.571

*Interim head coach

Coaching tree

NFL head coaches under whom Mike Singletary has served:

• Brian Billick, Baltimore Ravens (2003–2004)
• Mike Nolan, San Francisco 49ers (2005–2008)

Assistant coaches under Mike Singletary who became NFL head coaches:

• None

Personal life

In addition to his coaching duties for the 49ers, Singletary is a motivational speaker and has authored three books: Singletary One on One, Calling the Shots, and Daddy’s Home at Last. Singletary also owns a car dealership in Montana. Singletary and his wife, Kim, have seven children. His son Matt joined Baylor University's roster in 2007 as a freshman defensive end. Singletary also has family in Houston, Texas, including a nephew that started as a freshman at Westbury High School in Houston. Mike Singletary has a cousin named Victor Caro Jr., a star running back as a sophomore at Brentwood Academy and Sequina Caro who is a track star at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee.

External links

• Career Stats
• Pro Football Hall of Fame
• College Football Hall of Fame

• When Singletary won the award it was still being given to the outstanding player in the Southwest Conference. McMahon's win was the first year the award was given to the outstanding collegiate quarterback.