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Mike Singletary open to coaching Baylor

Kim Klement / USA TODAY Sports

Mike Singletary has watched Baylor pass him over for other coaching candidates twice in the past, but the Hall of Fame linebacker is open to the idea that the third time might be the charm.

"I won't rule it out," Singletary told USA TODAY Sports' Jarrett Bell of his potential interest in the school's coaching vacancy. "Right now, I'm trying to let it work itself out."

Baylor is expected to appoint defensive coordinator Phil Bennett as its interim coach, but it's unclear if the school sees him as an option to keep the job permanently.

Singletary, meanwhile, was interested in Baylor's coaching job in 2002, but the school hired Guy Morriss, and then in 2007, when the program went with Art Briles.

"The most important thing for me to do is just wait and see what they're thinking," Singletary said. "We'll just have to wait and see."

Related: 4 candidates Baylor should identify to find its next head coach

Singletary is one of, if not the most accomplished player to come out of Baylor. Donning No. 63, he built a legendary career with the Bears before going on to star for a different set of bears in the NFL - the Chicago Bears.

He spent many years racking up coaching experience in the NFL, but has been off the sidelines since parting ways with the Minnesota Vikings following the 2013-14 season. Singletary coached the Vikings' linebackers for three years, and before that he spent two-plus seasons as the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.

The 57-year-old has never coached at the collegiate level, but among the factors potentially working in his favor as Baylor evaluates its coaching options are his ties to the school and his reputation as a high character, passionate leader.

Regardless of whom Baylor ultimately settles on as its next coach, though, Singletary just hopes the program can recover from the sex scandal that created the team's vacancy in the first place.

"Hopefully, it gets cleaned up and figured out," he said.

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