It’s official: Martz is out

Mike Martz has been fired as 49ers offensive coordinator. Niners head coach Mike Singletary met with Martz just minutes ago to inform him of his decision, Martz said.

 

“He wants to run the ball,” Martz said in a phone interview from his office. “I’m not what he’s looking for on offense. That’s his business.”

 

Martz is known for his high-powered passing attack. However, Martz and Singletary seemed to work well together in the second half of the season, as Martz made adjustments after quarterback Shaun Hill replaced J.T. O’Sullivan in the starting lineup.

 

Martz expressed a high opinion of Singletary, with whom he said he enjoyed working. “He’s a wonderful man, by the way,” Martz said.

 

The 49ers accomplished a lot on offense this season, as the club improved from No. 32 in total offense to No. 23. The 49ers improved from last in the league to No. 22 in points scored. However, Martz said he does not consider the season a success.

 

“We should be a top-10 offense,” Martz said. “I feel that we’re either a top-10 offense or I failed.”

 

Why didn’t it happen?

 

“There were a lot of reasons, but that’s for another day,” he said.

 

Martz said the firing caught him by surprise — even after a Sacramento Bee report last week stated that Martz would be released after Singletary’s appointment to the full-time coaching job. He said he knew he was going to get fired last year in Detroit, but, “I got blind-sided by this.”

 

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Here’s a statement from Singletary:

 

“After an evaluation period I felt it was best to go in a different direction. This was not an easy decision because I appreciate Mike Martz, and I enjoyed working with him. He is a true professional, and I wish him the best in the future. I do recognize the need for a long term solution on the offensive side of the ball.”

 

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Singletary is scheduled to meet with the media Wednesday afternoon for his season-concluding press conference.

 

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UPDATE (2:20 p.m.): Team president Jed York denies he ever told Mike Martz he did not want him hired as offensive coordinator. When asked about it, York said, “Not true.” York said he met Martz and Chan Gailey, another candidate for the job, but only as an introduction. He said he wanted to know if Martz really wanted to come to work for the 49ers. “He did,” York said.

 

York said he and general manager Scot McCloughan did not pressure Singletary into firing Martz. “Mike has the control to hire and fire his coaches,” York said.

 

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