When San Francisco 49ers president Jed York delivered the news in an already-jubilant locker room that interim coach Mike Singletary was being retained, the room erupted in cheers and applause.
Singletary does not figure to cut anybody slack, though. The 49ers finished with a 7-9 record, their sixth consecutive losing season, and Singletary said he will take no shortcuts to get the 49ers back to the playoffs.
That means a lot of hard work for everybody in the organization - especially those players who were cheering his four-year contract.
"I think all the guys who are happy today are going to regret it," Singletary quipped.
The 49ers finished the season winning five of their final seven games under Singletary's direction. The 49ers fired Mike Nolan on Oct. 20 after the club started the season with a 2-5 record.
"I think they've got the right man for the job," 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis said. "I'm glad he got the job. He deserved it. He earned it."
The 49ers were prohibited from making Singletary the permanent coach while the season was in progress, according to the NFL. But the 49ers quickly made it official after Joe Nedney kicked the winning 39-yard field goal on the final play to end the season with a 27-24 victory over the Washington Redskins.
The 49ers distributed a press release announcing Singletary's appointment as the media were filing into an area set aside for the head coach's postgame interview.
"If you know which way you're going, get it done," 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan said.
The decision was made prior to the 49ers' victory, McCloughan said. Singletary won the job because of his body of work since taking over.
"He showed that there was a change, but he was able to adjust to the change, step right in and not really skip a beat," McCloughan said.
"The players around him stepped up. The coaches around him stepped up as well. We ended strong, but it's not close to where we need to get. With coach Singletary we feel that's not going to be an issue."
