Singletary lauds candidate Frazier
Hall of Famer says he learned a lot from ex-Bears teammate
Mike Singletary broke the huddle and stared across the line of scrimmage, his large eyes displaying a trademark intensity while he barked out defensive signals to his teammates.
It was a terrifying sight for offensive players, basically doomed while squaring off against the legendary 1985 Chicago Bears defense. Where Singletary moved, pain followed as the Hall of Fame middle linebacker and Houston native delivered punishing, helmet-cracking tackles.
A two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and 10-time Pro Bowl selection, Singletary wanted to squeeze everything he could out of his skills and knowledge. So the former Baylor star and Worthing graduate leaned heavily on someone with a specialized expertise in pass coverage: Leslie Frazier.
Wanting to excel in all phases, Singletary quizzed Frazier, a cornerback who led the 1985 Super Bowl champions with six interceptions, on how to handle his coverage responsibilities.
“Leslie was one of those guys I learned from,” Singletary said in a telephone interview Tuesday. “When I came into the league, I wanted to be really good against the pass, and Leslie was one of the guys I worked with who helped me in my skill set to be able to cover tight ends and receivers. He was very helpful.
“Leslie was a great teammate. Everybody loved Leslie, no doubt about it. He’s one of those guys everybody loves, and he’s just a teammate you love to see do well. He’s done a great job with the Bills and is an outstanding coach.”
Frazier, Buffalo’s assistant head coach and defensive coordinator, had a second job interview with the Texans on Tuesday night in Houston and is under heavy consideration for their head coaching position, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly. The Texans are set to interview Baltimore Ravens assistant head coach/receivers coach/ passing game coordinator David Culley in Houston on Wednesday morning, according to sources.
Frazier, a former undrafted free agent and converted wide receiver from Alcorn State, finished his NFL career with 20 interceptions.
The Mississippi native suffered a horrific knee injury in the Bears’ blowout Super Bowl win over the New England Patriots. On a punt return, Frazier tore his anterior cruciate, posterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments and fractured a bone underneath the kneecap. His knee never healed completely enough for him to make a comeback.
“Leslie was an excellent football player,” Singletary said. “Leslie had tremendous technique and great awareness as a player.”
A former Minnesota Vikings head coach, Frazier has imparted his techniques to a Bills defense that excelled during the regular season and in a divisional round playoff victory over the Ravens, including picking off Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson for a 101-yard interception return for a touchdown.
The Bills couldn’t keep pace with the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs during a 38-24 loss in the AFC Championship Game, sacking Patrick Mahomes only once and allowing Clyde Edwards-Helaire to amass 161 of the Chiefs’ 245 rushing yards. Overall, though, Frazier has an impressive defensive track record.
Since he was hired by the Bills in 2017 after a stint as the Ravens’ secondary coach, Buffalo’s defense has ranked second in passing yards allowed, fifth in total yards surrendered, and sixth in points allowed.
Frazier is known for his steady presence and motivational skills and, first and foremost, as a teacher.
“I respect Coach Frazier a whole lot,” Bills standout linebacker Tremaine Edmunds said during a news conference. “He’s a great coach. He’s a great man. He has his own way of yelling. He gets his point across without raising his voice too much. You know exactly what he’s meaning, what the tone is in his voice.
“He’s a great person, great coach, but an even better person.
Everybody respects Coach Frazier and the way he goes about his business. He’s a great educator in the game. He played, so his knowledge of the game speaks for itself.”
Frazier is known for his flexibility and interactive approach in dealing with players. He has a firm style.
“He doesn’t yell at you. He yells to get his point across and get your attention,” Bills safety Jordan Poyer said. “He does a hell of a job commanding the room, getting guys ready to play. I think he’d be a head coach anywhere in the league. I’m happy he’s here with us.
“He’s just a leader. He wants the best for his players. He’s a players’ coach. He puts confidence in guys. He’ll tell you if you’re not doing something right, and he’ll credit you for doing the right job.”