Update - Mike Nolan fired, Singletary Hired.

[Sun Tzu]

Reported by Michael Smith of ESPN.

Barring a dramatic change of course, the San Francisco 49ers plan to fire head coach Mike Nolan after the team's game against Seattle on Sunday, a source told ESPN's Michael Smith on Monday.

The 49ers haven't made the playoffs in Mike Nolan's first three seasons.

Next week is the 49ers' bye week. Nolan is expected to be replaced by assistant head coach Mike Singletary. When reached by ESPN, a 49ers spokesman said: "We don't respond to speculation. We are focused on Seattle."

Nolan, 49, is in his fourth season with the Niners, posting an 18-37 record. San Francisco is 2-5 this season and has lost four in a row. The 49ers are 23rd in both offense and defense in the league.

The 49ers have had five straight losing seasons and are 4-12, 7-9 and 5-11 in three full seasons under Nolan, who was retained after last season, which saw Scot McCloughan, their top personnel executive, formally annointed as general manager with a contract extension and a raise.

Nolan previously had the final say on all football decisions. He and McCloughan have made joint decisions on personnel issues, but McCloughan has had the final say.

"I will remain the one voice in this organization, and the face," Nolan said at the conclusion of the 2007 season. "I don't believe it will change at all. The important thing is that we will maintain the relationship."

Entering this season, Nolan had two years remaining on a five-year, $8 million deal.



Michael Smith covers the NFL for ESPN.

As a lot of you know by now, I'm a season ticket holder of the Niners. Having gone to enough games that we were just plain old out coached, I'm happy to see the change. We always just seem to be clueless as to what was coming regardless of the team we faced. Teams could constantly move the ball on us at will, meanwhile Nolan was hired because he was supposed to be this Defensive Guru. Since he was hired there have been a lot of statistics thrown out there where, as it turns out, every defense he has ever coached in his career has gotten progressively worse from year to year. Sure Singletary doesn't have experience as a head coach, but he has done a hell of a job as a positional coach. Hopefuly this isn't just a bunch of smoke.

[DeToxRox]

I am surprised Singletary will get the gig over Martz. I think it's the right choice but I am just surprised. Big Mike deserves a shot so hopefully he does enough to keep the gig, and for your sake I hope Martiz is gone or else the whole undermining of another coach will begin again.

[DeToxRox]

Per PFT Nolan was fired today.

[Nice Guy Eddie]

why the sudden trend to start firing Head Coaches during the course of the season?

[RedKingGold]

why the sudden trend to start firing Head Coaches during the course of the season?

Not everyone is as nice as you.

[Sun Tzu]

He just got fired.

[Sun Tzu]

Dola - Aparently Singletary has officially accepted the position as head coach, and is in negotiations for a new contract. Whew...well this sunday should be fun on many levels.

[GrantDawg]

Someone leaked the story of them firing him, forcing Nolan to confront them. Bam, it happen earlier than planned. That's my guess anyway.

[Sun Tzu]

I think doing it now makes more sense then at the bye week anyway. Say they keep Nolan around for this next weeks game, and they somehow beat the Seahawks again. It's going to look much worse if they fire him after a win at home. Getting him out now and bringing in Singletary gives them a chance to get their first W under the new coach, then prepare for a much easier schedule for the second half of the season after the bye.

[Anthony]

i woulda gone with Martz, myself, considering he actually took a team to the Super Bowl once.

[Maple Leafs]

Why did Nolan force their hand? The professional thing to do would have been to show up for work on Sunday, and then attempt 76-yard field goals.

On every play.

[kingfc22]

Ummm, at least Al Davis had a press conference. The bleepin York's have no clue to what is going on and are hiding in the shadows.

[Matthean]

i woulda gone with Martz, myself, considering he actually took a team to the Super Bowl once.

But he was given the keys to a team that won the Super Bowl. How much credit do you give Barry Switzer for taking the Cowboys to the Super Bowl when so much of it was in place for him? Martz I think is a lot like Favre. He's a gunslinger and you know what you are going to get out of him, good and bad. I think Martz would be an issue if the team keeps losing, but then they could simply dump him with everybody else. If San Fran starts to turn it around and the offense is responding, I think somebody will be dumb enough to offer him a head coaching job.

[Anthony]

he also was the OC for the team that won the Super Bowl. not like he came out of left field like Switzer did.

and Wade Phillips was handed a Super Bowl caliber team in '07 and wasn't able to get it done.

this is just like stealing signs in baseball. just cuz you know what pitch is coming doesn't mean it's automatic - you still have to hit the ball.

[Matthean]

he also was the OC for the team that won the Super Bowl. not like he came out of left field like Switzer did.

and Wade Phillips was handed a Super Bowl caliber team in '07 and wasn't able to get it done.

this is just like stealing signs in baseball. just cuz you know what pitch is coming doesn't mean it's automatic - you still have to hit the ball.

Switzer was a highly successful college coach. Phillips was...um...yeah. Before Dallas his best record was 11-5 and he never coached a team to win even their division. His current playoff record is 0-4. Super Bowl caliber team. On paper.

[Karlifornia]

this is just like stealing signs in baseball. just cuz you know what pitch is coming doesn't mean it's automatic - you still have to hit the ball.

What movie poster is this from? Is it Major League III: Back to the Minors?

[Tasan]

Why did Nolan force their hand? The professional thing to do would have been to show up for work on Sunday, and then attempt 76-yard field goals.

On every play.

You almost made me spit 7up all over my laptop, thanks.

[stevew]

Why did Nolan force their hand? The professional thing to do would have been to show up for work on Sunday, and then attempt 76-yard field goals.

On every play.

So, apparently I wasn't the only one hoping for a 77 yard field goal attempt on his way out of town.

[AgustusM]

I have been going to Niners games for over 35 years and in this off season I was in support of Nolan keeping his job and getting another chance.

I felt like at the beginning of last year the Niners were making progress, were consider by most pundits to be an up and coming team and then the combination of the Norv Turner thing and Alex Smith injury fiasco killer their season.

I was hoping with Martz coming in, an extremely weak division and a fresh start this team could be semi decent. They started 2-1 and with a break here or there could have been 3-0 and then the wheels came off. I really liked Nolan and thought he could have been a good coach - but it has really been one circus after another and I think it is time. After watching yesterdays game I told my wife he was going to get fired today, it was just time.

As far as Singletary goes I love Singletary and I think he is a really dynamic guy. I have heard him speak at coaching conferences and he is really inspiring. Having said that I am surprised at how much respect he gets. He was a phenomenal player, but he hasn't even been a coordinator and has only been a position coach for five years. He is the Sarah Palin of coaches.

I think too many people confuse his greatness as a player, for greatness as a coach. I am hope I am wrong and he is the next great coach that coaches the Niners for 20 years, but I am wary.

I wanted them to give the interim job to Martz, to essentially get him out of the way. As long as he is on staff he will be considered any time there is an opening and while I think he is a good, if risky coordinator, he is clearly one of those guys that is better as a coordinator than he is as a head coach.

At this point I would just as soon they lose every game, fire most of the coaches, cut all the QB's and start over. Let the Matt Stafford era begin.

[Mustang]

why the sudden trend to start firing Head Coaches during the course of the season?

I think with the way the NFL is, even though the Niners are 2-5, they are really only 2 1/2 games out of first so, maybe you feel that a coach might be able to spark the team and they go on a run to get back into it... Rams win the next 2 and they are back to .500 and in the middle of the NFC West. If you don't think the current coach can pull you out of the tailspin, might as well try something rather than just give up or hope. Guess the Brewers started a trend.

[Thomkal]

I liked Nolan, but probably a good thing at this point to fire him. I thought the Niners might be a bit of a surprise team this season, I had liked the moves and draft they had made over the past couple seasons. But Alex Smith looking like a big bust at this point really hurt as well as having a different offensive coordinator the past 3 years too (I've got that right don't I?)

[Thomkal]

But hey I'm a Cardinals fan, so I don't mind seeing the other teams in the division struggle. ;)

[RedKingGold]

But hey I'm a Cardinals fan, so I don't mind seeing the other teams in the division struggle. ;)

Yup. Heavy is the head who wears the crown (five of them actually). ;)

[Eaglesfan27]

At this point I would just as soon they lose every game, fire most of the coaches, cut all the QB's and start over. Let the Matt Stafford era begin.

Sanchez would go over Stafford (assuming Sanchez doesn't stay at USC for his senior year.)

[jeheinz72]

As someone who hates the Niners yet lives in the Bay Area, all this pleases me. I wish they hadn't fired him, if only because then they could be counted on to continue to suck.

[albionmoonlight]

I think that it will be fun to watch Singletary, one of the greatest players from when I first started to really get into football, as a coach.

[Bad-example]

I liked Nolan. He had enough time but just couldn't get the job done. Not sure that another rookie coach is what the team needs but at least Singletary will be getting a roster with some decent talent.

[Kodos]

I bet a certain coach in Seattle is watching the Niners situation with interest.

[AgustusM]

I bet a certain coach in Seattle is watching the Niners situation with interest.

conjuncture in the paper seems to indicate he might be involved in the Bill Parcels type oversee role.

[sooner333]

I was in support of Nolan too, but it just seems like this year was disorganized from the beginning. I think Singletary will do a good job and if he doesn't, there can be a real serach in the off-season. I liked the suit and I thought he could get it done, but it's just been kind of downhill the past couple of seasons with no signs of it getting better under his reign.

I really think Nolan would be a hero if Norv Turner had not been hired by the Chargers, however. I think Smith was making strides and when he left, he really went downhill.