49ers fans fly “Fire Baalke” banner over Levi’s Stadium before Jets game

In case you missed it, 49ers fans paid an airplane to fly a banner over Levi’s Stadium before Sunday’s loss to the New York Jets. On the banner was written, “Jed, You Reap What You Sow — Fire Baalke!”

The banner was a reference to a tweet former 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh wrote just after the team fired Jim Tomsula, the coach for which the team replaced Harbaugh. Harbaugh’s cryptic tweet read, “Do not be deceived. You will reap what you sow.”

As you may remember, the 49ers famously “parted ways” with the tremendously successful Harbaugh in order to promote Tomsula, a defensive line coach, and keep general manager Trent Baalke — as if those two were the stars of the operation. Since firing Harbaugh, the 49ers’ record is 6-23.

This “Fire Baalke” banner flew over Levi’s Stadium just hours after Jason La Canfora of CBS reported Trent Baalke likely will get fired at the end of the season. So, it seems 49ers fans will get their wish.

This article has 113 Comments

  1. Jed should become a hero.

    Jed should admit he is an abysmal failure, and step down for the good of the team. If he did that, I would cheer for him and give him a pat on the back.

    Denise needs to hold Jed accountable.

  2. I still do not think Jed York will fire Baalke because people like Jed York do not like to be told what to do.

    Even if it’s the right thing to do he doesn’t want to think the fans told him what to do so Baalke will hang around another year or two and then be reassigned or step down. Cause he wanted to.

    Not because Jed was told to.

  3. Head Games(Foreigner)

    Bay plights, uptight, I just know, I just know that I scream
    No end in sight, that just ain’t right
    You must go, you must go sell this team
    So fine saving your dimes, it’s not about the winning, it’s the bottom line
    Time to fly, the banners high, end this charade, before it’s too late
    Jed Games, it’s you and Trent Baalke
    Jed Games, and we can’t take it anymore
    Jed Games, we don’t want to play the Jed games
    Agony, week after week, keeps fans hating on you, yea hating on you
    In Agony and defeat
    They keep costing me, my civility
    High time, we draw the line
    It’s like we’re in a tunnel, but there isn’t no light
    It’s always the same, and you know who’s to blame
    You hear what we’re saying? Still you keep playing
    Jed Games….

  4. In the spirit of Christmas, let’s seek mercy and not justice. Trent Baalke has made significant contributions to the 49ers franchise. He was part of the staff that built the great teams of the Harbaugh years. Baalke has had probably the worst luck of any GM with the retirement of All-Pro level players (Justin Smith, Patrick Willis, Anthony Davis) and the unfortunate need to cut a great player with personal issues (Aldon Smith). Baalke has been asked to overcome some of the most difficult circumstances any GM ever faces. If you believe in the “Window” theory of success in the NFL, the 49ers were operating on the downside of a closing window and then you add in all the departures of great players and you should expect a few down years. Baalke has proven to be a great evaluator of talent for certain positions. If he can shore up the scouting dept to find great WR’s or QB’s then he has a chance to oversee the building of another great team. Give Baalke a chance to get the 49ers back to greatness.

    Nah – Just kidding. Baalke needs to be fired.

    1. Name one 1,000 yard receiver , 1,000 yard rusher or Jeff Garcia, Tom Brady, Aaron Rogers like QB who could threw for over 4,000 yards in a season Baalke drafted.

      4 yards passing in a pro game is unheard of since the leather helmet days.

      Perhaps you’ll be more comfortable with those days, Houston, so I left you a video of them:

      Oldest college football video: Princeton vs. Yale—circa 1903

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uERnf4jHe7s

    2. Houston

      Don’t be a fool. Trent Baalke has ZERO positive traits and is not even a halfway decent evaluator of talent. His ceiling is “quiet guy at the asylum.” JedBaalke probably fail at that too, pulling some 12 Monkeys Brad Pitt stunt to cause an insurrection, but fail at that as well.

      Baalke is the worst person in the world, and that’s saying something, especially in a year when millions of morons voted for an orangutan for president.

  5. Wins: 1
    Loss’ 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12

    This is why most NFL teams blow the office up. Not the Yorks, they’ll reshuffle the deck chairs on board the SS 49er (Titanic) and reassign Jed and Trent Baalke.

    Remember, Paraage was never fired–just reassigned when Al Guido moved into the Presidency.
    What’s not lost here is the York’s tend to find other places for their moneymaking execs, and make no mistake, Jed made money to the tune of $100 million/yr profits (according to NFL records via the Green Bay Packers publically owned team, therefore publically availablte tax records per T. Kawakami), which , when published , the York’s threatened him with a lawsuit.)

    Paraag’s analytics Dept. is irreplaceable by the York’s, and their new Sacramento soccer stadium that channels Levi profits through it as tax write-offs is being spearheaded by Marathe.

    Baalke may be fired for Gamble which is the logical move, that way, the York’s can claim they acted aggressively to fix offseason problems.

    The main business enterprise structure will not be compromised.

  6. Severe and nasty anti-sports columnist attitude shown by the Santa Clara 49ers has been noted by Lowell Cohn (via his Ted Robinson would not say, Hi, to him in the break room, column when Lowell said Hi first. Robinson ignored him, even though those 2 were the only one’s in the room); other columnist have gotten the cold shoulder–BASG, Kawakami, and now this, another National News Organization, who T. Kawakami notes: “Friends of the York’s stated this:

    frank
    ‏@BarhumFrank
    @timkawakami I don’t understand y a producer would attack u guys..Yorks have not built any kind of credibility in their tenure

    Tim Kawakami ‏@timkawakami · 1h1 hour ago

    tallica ‏@u_s_s_torpedo · 18h18 hours ago

    @dgiuli1 @BASportsGuy @JedYork jed just cares about psl money and beyonce concerts

    The ESPN producer has no clue about the 49ers’ situation. He just thought he could take a free run at me and Ann. I decided he couldn’t.

    53 likes

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    Bay Area Sports Guy ‏@BASportsGuy · 18h18 hours ago

    The 49ers deserve this. All of it. This is the product of York arrogance.

    1. *ESPN’s reporter took a shot a Tim Kawakami….A York tactic so they don’t have to leak and it can not be traced back to them…They have used this attack style for years, however, most bay area reporters ignore it . Only when the York attack hits them is it reported again.

  7. Reaching for that low hanging fruit with this post Grant. Goodness, that’s rabble rousing at its finest, and with minimal effort, LOL. And still kissing La Confora’s hand for rumor mongering about John and Denise’s intentions. Just because you’d (& most of us) would like it to be true doesn’t mean it is true.
    Look, there are a million legitimate criticisms apropos of that group. The fan funded banner isn’t new news and deserves about one sentence. I’d love for journalists to accumulate info, then lead their readers through it to make sense of it and separate the wheat from the chaff. Or, God forbid, break some news or write an original take.
    You aren’t tanking, are you?
    : -)

    1. Tim Kawakami ‏@timkawakami · 14h14 hours ago

      My conclusions…. Principle 1: The Yorks get all the money or they’ll whine about it. Principle 2: Make sure Trent Baalke stays employed.

      Tim Kawakami ‏@timkawakami · 14h14 hours ago

      Been trying to figure out what the 49ers’ actual core principle has been the last few years. It certainly isn’t anything to do with winning.

  8. Baalke was given the draft responsibility in 2010. Here are his choices in the first five rounds since then:

    2010: Anthony Davis, Mike Iuapati, Taylor Mays, Navorro Bowman.
    2011: Aldon Smith, Colin Kaepernick, Chris Culliver, Kendall Hunter, Daniel Kilgore
    2012: A. J. Jenkins, LaMichael James, Joe Looney, Darius Flemming.
    2013: Reid, Carradine, Macdonald, Lemonier, Patton, Lattomore, Dial
    2014: Ward, Hyde, Marcus Martin, Chris Boreland, Brandon Thomas, Ellington, Dontae Johnson, Lynch, Reiser
    2015:Armstead, Tartt, Harold, Bell, Davis, Smelter, Pinnion.
    2016: Buckner, Garnett, Redmond, Robinson, Blair, Theus, Cooper.

    The thing that stands out is the total lack of playmaking wide receivers in the list. No wonder the current WR corps on the team is so woeful.

    Also notice no QB other than Kap taken in the first five rounds since 2010. Most successful teams draft a QB in the first five rounds every year even if they have a superstar on the team. You simply cannot win in this league without a competent QB.

    Lastly, even the few good players he drafted did not stay around after the rookie 4 year contract. (Example: Iuapati).

    All in all Baalke has been a total failure as a GM. Fire him already.

    1. Rick,

      Scott McCloughan built that 2010 draft board before he was shown the door by the York’s.

      It’s already established news that NFL insiders give McCloughan at least half the credit for that draft. However, in light of the NFL’s first 4 yard passing game (by 49er starting QB, Kaepernick) since the 1920’s most experts will give credit to Mr. Mc

    2. “Most successful teams draft a QB in the first five rounds every year even if they have a superstar on the team.”

      That’s just not true.

      1. C’mon man. Allow me a little exaggeration to make a point. My point is that just because you have a Rogers or a Brady on your team, it dos not mean you don’t draft a QB in the mid to late rounds.

        Green Bay QB’s drafted since Rodgers in 2005: 2006 Ingle Martin (5), 2008: Brian Brohm (2), 2012: B. J. Coleman (7), 2015: Brett Hundley (5)

        New England QB’s drafted since Brady in 2000: 2002 Rohan Davey (4), 2003: Cliff Kingsbury (6): 2005: Matt Cassell (7): 2008 Kevin O’Connell (3): 2010 Zac Robinson (7): 2011 Ryan Mallett (3): 2014 Jimmy Garappolo (2): 2016 Jacoby Brissett (3).

  9. Honestly it’s tough to tell how much of this is on Baalke in how much on Jed.
    There was real friction between Jed and Harbaugh and he is ultimately the one that made the decision to fire Jim. I think his “Do you think we’ve been winning with class? comments At the Presser after Harbaugh was fired are very telling. Additionally, with so much cap space you would think Trent would want to pick up a few more players even smaller name ones. It makes you wonder if he was told how much he has to work with.
    The draft side… well yeah that’s all on him. He is very good at winning on trades for picks and has been ok picking lbs but not so much elsewhere.
    But overall I think this is more of a York issue than anywhere else… sadly you can’t fire an owner.

      1. Shoup—- Baalke in his position of GM was the go between Jed and Harbuagh. The problem was between Baalke who wanted to maintain total control and Harbaugh who realized that if Trent did – he as coach would feel the consequences of Trents incompetence. That was why he was not extended after the 2012 season. He state that the extension wasn’t happening because of issues other than money.

        The initial power struggle was between Jim and Trent for roster control. Harbaugh is not a very good PR guy and being very outspoken can rub people the wrong way. Trent , on the other hand, while being a total Asss to underlings is very good at sucking up to to those in power over him. How do you think he got the position of GM? He is very ruthless and manipulative when it comes to gaining and maintaining power. This is part of his OCD personality.

        A person who is incompetent will seldom challenge those who can fire him. That is part of manipulating/asss kissing to get and keep your job. Harbaugh on the other hand knew what he was doing and because he was competent could get a job somewhere else. The only place Baalke would ever get a GM or similar job would be with this franchise. Being an asss kisser is part of not being suited or competent enough to do your job.

        Jed York is incompetent. We should not forget that Baalke as the GM is the perfect example of that incompetence. His choosing Baalke over Harbaugh is his biggest blunder. Jed and Trent are tied at the hip. Baalke is Jeds main failure so you can not say that if Jed were gone Baalke’s issues would disappear.

        Trent and Baalke are two opposite sides of the same coin. They are linked together. It’s a catch 22 situation. It’s Jed choosing and then keeping Baalke as GM that personifies his incompetence.

  10. GM and HC both need to go, they are both way over there heads.
    I would like for a new GM topnotch guys like Nick Caserio,Eric Dacosta or Elliot Wolfe, with a HC like Sumlin.
    And a sort of Earhardt Perkins/Air Raid Offense.

  11. TomD: Absolutely, the York’s should fire Kelly tomorrow. 12 straight losses– most in the 70 year history of the 49er franchise. He would not no a halftime adjustment if someone showed him one. It’s his offense, there’s not even audibles…talk about Pleistocene Era strategy…

    But it’s the York’s, so this is the current 49er landscape:

    They would be smart to make a complete break from Baalke, who served them well when he had to jockey with a strong, brilliant coach like Jim Harbaugh.

    But Baalke finally decided he couldn’t deal with Harbaugh, despite all the victories, and once Baalke out-maneuvered Harbaugh, the GM had almost no limits to his power inside 49ers HQ.

    That became a problem, 1-12 is the best evidence — the Yorks created this, and now only the Yorks can fix it.

    By firing Baalke.

    La Canfora suggested, Mike Shanahan getting into the mix, either as GM or coach?

    I believe current assistant GM Tom Gamble will be considered, but he is very close to Baalke (and to Kelly), and the Yorks might want a complete break from any Baalke ties.

    They would be smart to make a complete break from Baalke, who served them well when he had to jockey with a strong, brilliant coach like Jim Harbaugh.

    They almost certainly won’t do it immediately, because I would guess that Jed York hasn’t made a final decision, and the Yorks almost never do anything big until they absolutely have to.

    They will wait until January. They will imagine the possibility of hundreds, if not thousands, of PSL-holders possibly walking away from their tickets and maybe their long-term payments, and they will wonder if the big stadium sponsors might walk away from renewals.

      1. Tom– Saying that Baalke did his job well when he had to jockey with a competent coach like Harbaugh makes no sense. It is true that Harbaugh did challenge Baalke but the fact still remains that they had different opinions as to the roster composition. Baalke also had a lot of wiggle room in respect to his draft and free agent moves because he had a deep roster to work with. He used that wiggle room not acquire what the team needed today, but to defer for the future in both draft picks and gambling on IR’s and long shots.

        The real key was the musical chairs that transpired after the final 2013 cuts. It almost seemed like Baalke was going out of his way to not give Harbaugh what he wanted and needed. I think he had already decided to sabotage Jim starting in 2013. What transpired was inevitable. Harbaugh and Trent could not co-exist period. It is absurd to assume that Harbaugh made Trent functional. The strong brilliant coach along with a solid existing roster just hid Trents multiple issues.

        It’s OK to be a control freak if you are competent,but not for someone like Trent who feels threatened by anyone who is. Trent should have been kept in his position as scout where his focus on detail is an asset. But in the position of GM the traits that made him a good scout makes him a disaster.

    1. Tom: I am starting to come around to your way of thinking. We need to go back to the Bill Walsh / John McVey model. An offensive minded GM / Head coach with total control over player personnel with a corporate executive type to help with negotiating contracts etc.

      We also need to get back to our west coast roots. Baalke is a Parcells acolyte and I have never agreed with the myth of Parcells as a genius football mind. I have always thought Parcells to be an overrated coach boosted as a genius by the East Coast media.

      Shanahan or Holmgren as the wise elder statesman with an up and coming young head coach grounded in the west coast offense may be another way to go.

      1. Rick,

        You’re right. 4 yards passing by a starting QB hasn’t been recorded since the 1920’s–before Bronco Nagurski, “The Gip,” etc.

        Shanahan would immediately give due diligence to the skill positions. Under Bill Walsh, he learned to tailor the offense to current NFL rules—passing.

        Those 49ers were cutting edge. We need to get people who understand exploiting coverages and defenses—not just run, even when the opponent
        has no Db’s.

      2. Parcell’s overrated:

        Rick, don’t forget, Bill Belichek was his DC, who Bill Walsh was 12-3 against.

  12. Nick Casserio?

    Josh McDaniels and Jimmy Garropolo?

    A Silent Owner?

    Free Agents?

    9-10 draft picks?

    Seems like one way to avoid the 2-3 year doldrums of a rebuild.

  13. Nick Ohlig
    ‏@Nick_Ohlig
    @timkawakami I’m curious, if you were to see Tim Ryan in the hallway, would you even acknowledge each other, or look the other way?

    12:29 PM – 11 Dec 2016

    Tim Kawakami Verified account 
    ‏@timkawakami
    Tim Kawakami Retweeted Nick Ohlig

    I always say hello. Ryan mostly looks away.

    Tim Kawakami

    1. Kizer is going to have to test really well to get into the first round. Could be a Geno Smith like drop for him if he doesn’t.

      1. Kizer is going to have to test really well to get into the first round.

        He’s from ND. You kinda have to test well to get in. Nothing like going to the well again for the 49ers quarterback of the future. Word on the street is Joe has already agreed in principle to be his quarterbacks coach…;>)

        1. Kizer’s on field resume is not impressive enough to warrant a first round pick at this point so the workouts will be big for him. I’d take him with the second rounder if he falls that far. I still think he should have stayed at ND another year though. He really needs a lot of work.

    1. York soiled his pants, because word on the street has it that Jim Harbaugh will be sowing and reaping in Los Angeles!

      1. Razor,

        Rams are already lining up a superior organization. Jed better be fired–he’s out of his league.

        Goff, Gurley, and Harbaugh with weapons and Vic Fangio

      2. He (not Trent) drafted Kap. Think he’ll want him back?
        : -)

        I actually have never seen the wisdom of in-season firings. Monday night or Tuesday after the last game makes sense to me.

        1. Brotha, I do think Harbaugh would want him back. This is shaping up to be a real dramatic off season!

            1. You might be careful what you wish for. Harbaugh teamed with Kaepernick could prove to be a lethal vendetta. Especially in the weakened state the franchise finds itself due to it’s sowing….

              1. Nah, look guys, I was just tripping there.
                Know this: whoever takes the job will need to commit to ownership that they will develop their expensive young QB. It won’t be about bringing in their guy

              2. Goff is proving to be a turnover machine. He may be more limited than Kaep.

                Rams getting both JH and Kaep will make great theater.

              3. Harbaugh could save Goff, Brotha. BUT, the Harbaugh I know won’t anoint anyone. He’ll want a good competition with a veteran….

              4. Goff is a rookie QB playing like a rookie QB, who will now have to learn a new offense next year.

                They should have fired Fisher last year. They are putting an expensive asset in a position that has proven the undoing of many young QBs before now.

                Teams looking to draft a QB of the future should look at the teams that have had success recently. Continuity, strong OL and strong running game. The best ingredients for developing a young QB.

    2. Wow.

      An in season firing….York’s are you listening ???

      All those seasons where other teams beat you to the firing punch, only to leave you with choices like, Tomsula.

      It’s happening again York’s…Better start firing before DeLa Salle’s coach is the only one left !

    3. I posted earlier today that SOMEONE (or many) should have been fired already for this disaster of a season…. This just shows how much the Yorks care about us fans… At least the Rams are telling the world they’re not okay with losing – even after they extended Fisher’s contract prior to the season… If the rumor is true that the Rams plan to pursue Harbaugh hard things could get very interesting.

  14. Whoever takes over the Rams will be walking into a team with a pretty strong nucleus of players. But they will live and die by the progress of a QB they inherit.

      1. Then he won’t go there. The Rams FO will force any new HC to work with and develop Goff. They spent too much to get him to not commit to him.

        1. I agree Scooter. Any coach looking to take the Rams job will be required to work with Goff and develop him.

        2. Yea, work and develop being the operative words. Nowhere did I mention those two words. My operative word was “competition”. Not guaranteed to start. He needs to be a back up for another year. Not only wasn’t he ready, now he’s been Fisherized. Harbaugh will have to unFisherize him just to get him to the development stage….

            1. “Expected” is one thing, reality is quite another. Maybe they get another desperado like Chip Kelly, because any coach worth their salt aren’t going to put all their eggs in Goff’s basket….

              1. I think you will find quite a few coaches quite happy to try and work with Goff.

                I seriously doubt Harbaugh is coaching the Rams next year.

              2. I don’t think the Stanford offense is the best fit for Goff. They are better off looking for a HC that will install a more wide open offense.

              3. Of course they’ll be willing to “try”. I’ve yet to infer otherwise, but if the caveat is, come hell or high water, Goff is the starter, then only a desperate coach is going to agree to that. That’s a RGTurd disaster….

              4. … install a more wide open offense.

                The Rams offense is simplistic, and Sonny Dykes was as well. I agree that the Stanford offense is not a good fit for Goff….

              5. Goff is the starter. The next HC will be signed with that being the plan. It won’t be a case of “we would really like it if you tried to make him a competent starting QB”. It will be a case of “develop Goff into the franchise QB we drafted him to be”.

              6. It will be a case of “develop Goff into the franchise QB we drafted him to be”.

                Not if the HC determines they drafted chicken poop and he’s unable to make him into chicken salad. That’s what Gruden did….

              7. The next HC won’t be making that decision for a couple of years. The FO will make it crystal clear that Goff is their franchise QB until proven otherwise.

              8. And failure by the next HC to turn Goff into the franchise QB will probably lead to their sacking. Don’t fool yourself, the fortunes of the next HC of the Rams will be heavily tied to a QB he had no say in picking.

              9. Don’t fool yourself, the fortunes of the next HC of the Rams will be heavily tied to a QB he had no say in picking.

                And don’t foot yourself, no top echelon HC is gonna agree to those terms. Even Gruden didn’t, and he wasn’t in high demand….

              10. The Rams will hire a young offensive mind that likes the idea of working with a young QB prospect that was taken #1 last year. Plenty of people liked Goff last year. They’ll find a HC that wants to work with him.

                No doubt any new HC will also bring in a vet for insurance, but they will very much be expected to make it work with Goff.

                Kyle Shanahan is my early predictions on who will be their HC next year.

              11. He would flop so hard. Can’t see Kroenke taking a chance on a guy who hasn’t shown he can lead a team.

              12. I think the Rams want a big name coach like Harbaugh. They just moved to LA and Harbaugh is a celebrity. They will give an Ari Gold style presentation and throw money at him. Harbaugh would get a chance to play us and Cheat Carroll twice a year. Jim’s competitive nature and ego will drive him to the Rams. If Fangio is available he could hire Vic and Roman. The Rams have talent. If Goff plays well the Rams could be a playoff team next year.

              13. Razor,

                Goff was drafted 7 months ago and has played 3 games. At the time he was drafted most had him rated in the top ten overall. Nothing that has happened since then will deter Coaches from wanting to work with him. I’m really not sure why you dislike this kid so much, but your view isn’t shared by anybody who has scouted or spent a lot of time watching him play at Cal over the past 3 years.

                My prediction for the Rams next HC: Josh McDaniels. The offense he would install would fit Goff, he’s worked with the Rams previously and they want a name that will excite the fan base.

    1. Whoever gets the job needs to fix their Oline. They can’t throw the ball consistently or run at all with one of the best young RBs in the game.

      Good decision to dump Fisher but now they have to hire an offensive minded HC so the young QB can learn one system and grow in it.

      1. Yep, the OL should be their main priority this off season. Just look at what the Raiders did with Carr, and Titans did with Mariota. And what Prescott fell into. Best way to do it.

              1. Smart coaches don’t back down from a challenge and a fat raise and control over personnel.

  15. We only attract guys with much speaking but no deeds thats what we are becoming a laughing stock because Jeddie is doing nothing , of he really wants to be a big boy he should fire Baal and Chi immediately and get some credit back from us fans!

  16. And revamp the whole scouting system.
    Also a modern WCO or a sort of Earhard Perkins/ Air raid whatever that is innovative and no gimmick Offense or Dinosaur Offense.
    Even with Harbaugh the Offense sucked.

  17. It appears Kelly was asked if he wanted McDonald back before McDonald was given his new deal.

    1. I actually agree with most of it but they need get rid of EVERYBODY not just Chip Kelly because we all know just getting rid of coaches won’t solve the REAL problems.

    2. Kelly must give the worst halftime pep talks of all time.

      What, pros don’t go for that rah-rah stuff? They sure ate up Harbaugh’s who has it better then us shtick.

      1. Harbaugh also had a defense that had the best front 7 in the NFL at the time. Go take a look at what our record would be if we had a defense holding teams to less then 14 points a game.

        1. Or what our record would be if the offense played as well in the 2nd half as they do in the 1st.

  18. How smart do you have to be, even if you don’t have a clue about football, isn’t a good coach harder to fine then a GM. I don’t know about you, but it seems that Mr.Baalke is the one, that have A hard time to getting along with the coaches. What’s really sad is that the 49er’s have been out drafted in the last 4yrs, And Jed just sitting there clueless, making foolish Statement like we don’t win NFC Championships, we win SuperBowls, How Classy is that!

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