49ers hand coaching reins to Singletary

Dec 29, 2008 - 3:33 AM SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- The San Francisco 49ers did not waste any time rewarding Mike Singletary.

Minutes after the 49ers completed a 27-24 victory over the Washington Redskins in Sunday's regular-season finale, Singletary was named head coach of the team.

Although terms of the deal were not announced, Singletary said he received a four-year contract.

"I am very excited, very thankful, very humbled to be the head coach of the 49ers, very thankful for that," Singletary said.

The 49ers finished the season 7-9 and went 5-4 under Singletary, who was named interim coach after Mike Nolan was fired following a 29-17 loss to the New York Giants in Week Seven.

"Mike Singletary's leadership ability has galvanized the players and coaching staff to deliver improved results on the field," 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan said in a statement. "By turning the second half of the season around, he has accomplished what few interim head coaches have been able to do.

"After discussions with ownership, we agree that Mike has earned the head coach position. I look forward to working with Mike to continue to build on the momentum he has created as we prepare for the 2009 season."

One of the first decisions facing Singletary could be the status of offensive coordinator Mike Martz, who was brought in by Nolan and is rumored to be on his way out.

"Right now, Scot and I are going to sit down and look at our offense as a whole, and make the best decisions for our team going forward," he said. "And what that is, you'll know soon."

The team's linebackers coach since 2005, Singletary guided San Francisco to five wins in its final seven games.

Singletary made headlines in his first game at the helm when he banished tight end Vernon Davis to the locker room following an unnecessary-roughness penalty during a 34-13 loss to Seattle.

In the most memorable postgame press conference of the NFL season, the Hall of Fame linebacker made it clear that he would hold his players accountable.

"I would rather play with 10 people and just get penalized all the way until we got to do something else, rather than play with 11 when I know that right now that person is not sold out to be a part of this team," Singletary said. "Cannot play with them. Cannot win with them. Cannot coach with them. Can't do it. I want winners."

A standout middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears, Singletary was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998.