The death of Buddy Ryan on Tuesday has led to remembrances from around the football world, including many from players he coached across many stops in his long career.
Mike Singletary was one of the leaders of the most famous defense that Ryan put together. The 1985 Bears defense ransacked the league on their way to the Super Bowl, which ended with Ryan being carried off the field along with head coach Mike Ditka. Singletary has spoken about his respect for Ryan many times, including saying that he would have been just another guy if not for Ryan’s tutelage during the recent 30 for 30 film about that Bears team.
Singletary followed in Ryan’s footsteps by becoming a coach when his playing days were over and rose to head coach of the 49ers for two-plus seasons before moving back into the assistant ranks with the Vikings from 2011-2013. He’s been out of the league for the last couple of years, but said during an interview with 670 The Score in Chicago on Tuesday that he’ll be back at work in 2016.
He’ll be working with another of Ryan’s former charges as a defensive advisor for the Rams. Rams head coach Jeff Fisher spent 1985 on injured reserve after playing for the Bears for the previous four seasons and interviewed Singletary for a defensive coordinator vacancy in 2013 before moving in a different direction.
There’s been no word from the Rams about what Singletary’s duties will be in Los Angeles at this point, but, as with all defenses, the ultimate goal will be to get as close to that 1985 Bears ideal as possible.
