Singletary hires nephew as linebacker coach

Singletary hires nephew as linebacker coach
John Crumpacker, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Although he is a nephew of the head coach, Vantz Singletary was more like a little brother to Mike Singletary growing up in the same house in Houston, as they were separated by only eight years.

"It's a unique relationship," Vantz Singletary said Tuesday, a day after the 49ers' head coach hired him to coach the team's inside linebackers.

"He was a guy who used to grab me by the ears and get my heart right. When he left (for college at Baylor), I hated to see him go. I broke down and cried because I loved him so much but I didn't know how to say it. When my brother asked what was wrong, I said, 'Uncle Mike punched me in the stomach.' "

As they were both steeped in football from an early age, perhaps it's fitting that the younger Singletary, 42, should work for the elder some day. Vantz Singletary's mother, Deloris, is Mike Singletary's older sister.

To those who would suggest the hire is grounded in nepotism and not much else, Vantz Singletary points out that he has been a college assistant coach for 17 years, has coached players who went to the NFL (including two 49ers, defensive lineman Isaac Sopoaga and linebacker Jeff Ulbrich) and in furtherance of his craft, he took part in eight NFL fellowships for minority coaches (a legacy of the late Bill Walsh).

"I knew sometime down the road it would pay off for me," he said. "I wanted to get to know the professional game. It was important I did those internships."

Vantz Singletary said his first fellowship was with Tony Dungy at Tampa Bay in 1996 and his last with former coach Mike Nolan and the 49ers in 2005, when Mike Singletary joined the staff.

"It really helped me and shaped me," he said. "When the opportunity presented itself, I would be ready."

The opportunity took shape toward the end of November when the 49ers played the Bills in Buffalo and nephew and uncle had a chance to spend time together. Vantz Singletary was an assistant coach at the University of Buffalo for the 2008 season.

"That was part of it," Vantz said. "We had a chance to talk about scheme, technique, philosophy. That's something we've been doing for a lifetime. He and I are on the same page with that (inside linebacker) position."

With the 49ers, Vantz Singletary will work with a player his uncle mentored as a rookie in 2007. Worked out pretty well, as Patrick Willis became the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year and a Pro Bowl player.

In an obvious but not necessarily significant case of connect the dots, the 49ers on Tuesday interviewed the quarterbacks coach of the Browns three days after having Cleveland's offensive coordinator in for a chat.

Mike Singletary and general manager Scot McCloughan interviewed Browns quarterbacks coach Rip Scherer for the position, even though the head coach said whoever he hires as offensive coordinator will have the authority to bring in a coach for that position.

On Saturday, Singletary interviewed outgoing Browns offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski. No interviews with prospective coordinators were scheduled Tuesday. The 49ers had Scherer on their list of prospective position coaches independent of Chudzinski.

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