Mike Singletary: Why the Jury Is Still Out On Him As an NFL Coach

In a move that came as no surprise to anyone, Mike Singletary was relieved from his duties as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.  Singletary had several shining moments as coach, but the wheels all but came off earlier this season.

When the Niners started out 0-5, even in the miserable NFC West they couldn't come back to make the playoffs.  A major problem for the Niners was the Smiths and which one of them could step up and become the starter.  Neither Alex Smith nor Troy Smith solidified their stance as the team's starting QB. 

Even as bad as the Niners and the NFC West have been, the timing of this firing is a surprise.  Though his firing was inevitable, the timing of it is bizarre.  Now, with just one game left in the Niners' season, Singletary is out and Jim Tomsula is now interim coach.

Singletary himself entered into his job in 2008 as an interim replacement for then-coach Mike Nolan.  He guided the team to a 5-4 record and the future was promising then.  

Singletary was one of the greatest linebackers to ever play in the NFL.  He was the leader of the Chicago Bears' 46 defensive unit in the 80s.  This wasn't the Bear defense though, and this is no longer the 1980s.  

Another major issue with Singletary's tenure was he had no control over the team.  There were times where (at least from the looks of it) Singletary had zero control over the players.  Notably, his press conference where he erupted about Vernon Davis' attitude was paramount to that thought.  Although since then, Davis has evolved into one of the game's best tight ends. 

He may be a defensive guy, but you need offense to win too.  Especially in today's game, offense is the key to the NFL.  Though they have a solid RB in Frank Gore, the offense as a whole failed to make plays.  When Gore went down, so did the Niners' chances.

Singletary now becomes the fourth coach to be shown the door mid-season in 2010.  Along with Wade Phillips, Josh McDaniels and Brad Childress, Singletary too will now be looking for work.  

Poor in-game judgement and other rash decisions led to his demise.  All in all, the jury is still out on whether or not he can coach in the NFL.  Many feel that in the right setting he may be able to be a good coach.  At age 52, Singletary still has ample time ahead to one day be a head coach again.  

This great motivator would do many teams well—if the players buy into his style, of course.  That always seems to be the problem in pro sports.  The players gain too much power and put the blame on the coach when things go wrong.  Maybe they didn't live up to their end of the bargain on the field though.  Ever think of that?   

This Niner team could've been so much more.  What they truly need now is a franchise QB.  Maybe a few more tools in other positions would do as well, but most notably a quarterback is needed for now.  Apparently though, they will now spend time looking for a new general.