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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Mike Singletary has been fired by the San Francisco 49ers after two disappointing seasons.

The team made the announcement late Sunday, several hours after San Francisco was eliminated from playoff contention with a 25-17 loss at St. Louis. Defensive line coach Jim Tomsula has been elevated to interim coach and will run the team in next Sunday's season finale at home against Arizona.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - A person with knowledge of the situation says 49ers team president and CEO Jed York has interviewed Tony Softli as the first known candidate to fill the team's vacant general manager position.

Softli, a former personnel executive with the Carolina Panthers and St. Louis Rams, met Tuesday with York, the person told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the matter. York fired coach Mike Singletary late Sunday after a 25-17 loss at St. Louis eliminated the 49ers (5-10) from playoff contention, their eighth straight year out of the postseason.

York vowed to turn his team back into a contender, starting by hiring a GM. That person will choose Singletary's successor.

Comcast SportsNet Bay Area was first to report Softli has interviewed.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)