Coach candidates 49ers definitely should avoid

This is my Thursday column.

Beware of the names.

Every year, the same ones seem to pop up as NFL teams start looking for head coaches. All of a sudden these names appear everywhere, and they’re names of people who want to coach your team. Desperate people who will do you harm if you let them near your building.

These are the names the 49ers should avoid as they search for their next head coach.

Name 1: Mike Holmgren.

Don’t answer his phone calls. Don’t respond to his e-mails. Don’t encourage him.

No one is more desperate to be the 49ers’ head coach than Mike Holmgren. On Dec. 28, before Jim Tomsula even got fired, Robert Klemko of Sports Illustrated tweeted this: “Per source, Mike Holmgren has, for the second time in as many years, expressed interest in the 49ers HC job.”

This should automatically disqualify Holmgren. Campaigning for a job before it’s available is dishonorable and weak, exactly what many around the league believe Tomsula did to Jim Harbaugh. Since when did Holmgren have to stoop to the Tomsula level?

And why does Holmgren want to coach only the 49ers? Why hasn’t he reached out to other teams? How badly does he really want to coach? Why hasn’t he coached since 2008? Is the San-Francisco native trying to take advantage of his hometown team?

Beware.

Name 2: Mike Shanahan.

“2 unemployed names to watch: Mike Shanahan & Chip Kelly,” Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeted on Jan. 4. “As Mike Silver said, both expressed interest in 49ers.”

We’ll get to Kelly later. For now, let’s talk Shanahan.

Shanahan seemed on the verge of a Hall of Fame coaching career back in 1999 after winning back-to-back Super Bowls as head coach of the Denver Broncos. He also won a Super Bowl as the offensive coordinator for the Niners when Steve Young was the quarterback.

In Denver, Shanahan won his rings with John Elway at quarterback. Since Elway retired, Shanahan’s win-loss record is 115-109, and he has won just one playoff game. Ordinary.

Shanahan was good with Hall of Fame quarterbacks. He never has developed a young one. During his most recent job as head coach of the Washington Redskins, he ruined Robert Griffin’s promising career by making him play with an injured knee.

Beware.

Name 3: Chip Kelly.

I promised we’d get to this guy. Here’s what ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted about Chip Kelly on January 4: “Kelly’s camp has reached out to 49ers to express interest in their HC opening, per a league source.”

Kelly’s camp? Is that a fancy way of saying his agent? Or is Kelly in a street gang with people who snap their fingers as they sing and dance like the Jets in West Side Story?

Picture his camp sitting in a little treehouse with cigarettes rolled in their sleeves as they discuss which NFL teams are desperate enough to consider Kelly.

Kelly is a flop. He failed as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. His players apparently hated him and eventually stopped playing for him. Kelly is no leader of men — he’s a leader of children. He should return to college football.

Beware.

Name 4: Hue Jackson.

To his credit, Hue Jackson has not publicly expressed interest in the 49ers — it’s the Niners who are interested in him. They’ve officially requested to interview the Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator, according to Mike Silver of NFL.com.

Jackson is a hot name. His offense ranks 15th in total yards and seventh in points this season, and his quarterback, Andy Dalton, had a career-high passer rating of 106.2 before he broke his thumb.

Jackson is a quality offensive coordinator. But, is he a quality head coach?

Some people say he is, citing his 8-8 record as head coach of the Oakland Raiders in 2011. No Raiders coach has won more than eight games in a season since Bill Callahan won 11 games in 2002.

Here’s what you need to know: The Raiders were 8-8 under Tom Cable the season before Jackson took over. The Raiders did not improve under Jackson, and his players quit on him after 11 games.

Jackson’s Raiders started the season 7-4, then lost four of their final five games while getting outscored by 60 points. That’s poor coaching.

After the last game of the season, Jackson infamously passed the blame onto his players. “I’m pissed at my team,” he said. “In some point in time as a group of men you go in the game and you can say whatever you want about coaches, you win the game.”

That’s not how a leader acts. At that moment, Jackson revealed to the world what he really is — a phony.

Beware.

Grant Cohn writes sports columns and the “Inside the 49ers” blog for The Press Democrat’s website. You can reach him at grantcohn@gmail.com.

This article has 631 Comments

  1. “Check out this slideshow of coaches the 49ers should interview for their head-coaching vacancy.”
    ———–
    After making this latest list you might want to go back and edit that.

        1. Del Rio has a dream roster and in my opinion the Raiders underachieved. They should be a playoff team. Instead they had victory wrapped up in so many games only to choke it away late in the 4th quarter. That’s all coaching!

            1. Compared to ours? Dreamy! Franchise QB and WR. Pretty good oline and a young up and coming defense. Lots of potential.

              1. O line faded in the second half, no running game, one good receiver and a qb who loves to throw ints when the game is on the line and can’t score in the redzone.
                Defense who gets torched in their secondary with ZERO good players back there. Sadly they’re still better than us.

              2. I can’t believe I’m defending the Raiders but if they had a better staff in place that could play call more strategically in critical moments of the game, they might have been able to help their young QB out. Yes he threw some terrible picks but he will learn. Musgrave did Carr no favours.
                Del Rio clearly does not know offense. This is why your HC needs to be offensive minded.

              3. I agree the new coach needs to be offensive minded. But Carr threw those ints. Not the coach. They also have some holes to fill. Not sold on that defense. And they have no running game and I don’t think they have the players right now to establish one. Their passing attack and LB pass rush are the only two promising things I saw on that team.

          1. Jim Mora is a good coordinator but not a good head coach. His Seattle team was bad, his UCLA teams underachieved and his Atlanta teams were average to mediocre.

            1. How have his UCLA teams underachieved? UCLA was awful before he got there. He has won nearly 70 percent of his games.

              1. His 2nd and 3rd years were good, book-ended by two mediocre years. He may be a good recruiter but hes not a great head coach. Especially one who can lead a NFL franchise back to the Superbowl.

              2. Many thought they should win the Pac12 south and yet they got trounced by the trojans again.

          2. Really? JDR is a seasoned head coach…and there was a distinct difference in the Raiders this season. They have high hopes…and rightly so. They’re no longer doormats…they should’ve beaten Denver twice, but let the first game get away. Jim Mora probably won’t coach in the NFL again…unless the league really gets hard up. Knapp? He’ll never be an NFL head coach. Come on, man, what’s your beef with Del Rio…whatever it is, get over it, he’s right for the Raiders.

              1. It’s funny that a comparison Grant thought was a compliment to Mora, Frank thought was an insult to Del Rio.

          3. I find it funny that you say: “Kelly is a flop. He failed as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.”

            But then praise Jim Mora and Jack Del Rio.

            Chip Kelly record in PHI was 26-21 %.553
            Jim Mora’s record as HC in the NFL: 31-33 %.470
            Del Rio’s record as HC in the NFL: 75-80 %.484

            There’s more than goes to choosing a good coach than just looking to previous records, of course, and Chip Kelly carries some risk for sure (as the other 2 as well).

            But I don’t know how one can look at those records and say Del Rio and Mora are very good coaches and Kelly is a flop.

              1. Grant

                One Malcontent RB and a couple of bench-riders don’t qualify as his players quitting on him…he had better players in front of them…Reputations are earned over time, and Chip demands character…How would Ray MacDonald and Aldon Smith have fared with Chip ? Players quit playing for JH too….

              2. Bad reputation is a little stretch, but even so, I coach with a overall record of. 553 is not a flop even with bad reputation

              3. Grant – How much of that was his personnel decisions (Getting rid of popular players) vs. his coaching? D Jax had quotes today that reflected exactly that. He broke up the core of the locker room getting rid of the most popular players and all the team soured on him as a result.
                In SF, Baalke will have control of the 53. Could be a good checks and balances system.

    1. Jim Harbaugh and 49ers Beat Chip Kelly led Eagles:

      Philadelphia Eagles 2014 Schedule
      BYE WEEK: Week 7

      PhiladelphiaEagles
      3-1, 1-1 Away

      PHI 7 14 0 0 21
      SF 3 10 10 3 26

    2. That’s right, can’t believe Grant would do that. oh wait, I do for that’s something Kevin Lynch and Eric Branch would do.

  2. I think OldCoach had it right. Grant wants the 49ers to take Mora and free up UCLA to look for a new HC.

  3. Holmgren. How would one/does one “take advantage of his hometown team”…..? For personal gain? Launder money? Get free meals?

  4. Worst post of the year grant. Except the hue Jackson opinion. You’re on drugs!
    Holmgren for HC!!! Although it won’t happen it’s probably the way to go since you don’t like it and the idiots in Santa Clara won’t do it!

  5. This is spot on, Grant.

    The absolute worst would be Chip Kelly, and we will again have to witness Kaepernick’s flat bullet passes.

    Which is why you can BOOK IT that Chip Kelly will be our coach. And it will be horrible.

    1. Actually, while I think Chip needs to work on his interpersonal skills, I also recognize that he is intelligent enough to utilize Kaep’s skills in a manner that accentuates his strengths. He might just be the perfect guy to correct the mistakes and solve the offensive malaise.

        1. Sigh, you may be right. Kaep has been stabbed in the back. He may want to give a little payback twice a year. The Rams would probably welcome him with open arms.

  6. I agree with Grant’s avoid list… except for Jackson.

    There’s a wave of back to the future sentiment with Holmgren and Shanahan.

    I’d avoid Shanahan like the plague. A lifelong Denver fanatic I know predicted he’d ruin RG3… and exactly how.

    I’d be nice to Holmgren. Interview him. Offer a temporary consulting gig. I would not hire him as HC.

    – Kelly (promising not to take on GM duties) will find a way to gut the roster of promising players anyway.

    Jackson I’d give some leeway.

    – First, the 49ers are running out of options. Like the rookie quarterbacking class, there are candidates with great “traits”, but none are slam dunks.

    – 2nd time around head coaches have done well. Not all the time, but Carrol, Belichick and others have done well after their first gigs.

    – I remember that end of season tirade against his own team. He seemed like a mad dictator. Baalke will have to really examine how he communicates, if he has grown. Its a legitimate concern.

        1. B2W,
          I must admit that after watching this old video that I’m now more inclined to lean towards Jackson.
          First and foremost, this was not a rant or tirade. Jackson seemed in total control of his emotions while speaking to the press and answering their questions.

          While stating that he was p*ss’d at his team he also said that he was responsible and mentioned that he put (his teams poor play) on himself in the same context.
          Not sure why these two important words by Jackson are being dismissed.

          B2W, I’m glad that you put this video out for the “Insider” family to watch and hope that they can hear Jackson’ comments in their full context rather than the cherry picking job presented by Grant.

      1. Grant, what is it about Jackson’s comments that you think were so bad? It seems to me that a team coming off perhaps the softest “players’ coach” who coddled his young guys with afternoon practices and cell phone breaks, what the Niners need is a coach who will demand that the players take accountability.

        I didn’t see Jackson as disowning any responsibility; I saw him say that while the buck stops with him, he was angry at his players for not showing up. The Niners roster has a ton of young and potentially talented guys, but they desperately need to turned into men. I think Jackson’s approach is exactly what our soft team needs right about now.

          1. What would you have had him say instead? You can’t really be advocating not hiring a coach whose team has ever come out and played like crap, can you? Every coach, including Harbaugh, has seen his team come out from time to time and play soft. Leading that sad-sack group of players to a 7-4 record to start that year says a lot more to me about his motivational skills than how they ended the season.

            To me, the issue is what the coach does in response to that, and after this last season, I think it would be refreshing to have a coach who actually holds players’ feet to the fire when those players underperform. The alternative is what gets you a lineup with guys like Devey and Pears week after pathetic week.

            1. The Raiders quit on Jackson after Week 12. The defense gave up 32 points per game the final 5 games. Jackson needed to look in the mirror.

              1. Kind of like what a far more talented Raider team this year did to Jack del Rio? A team that went 3-6 to finish out the year, including an OT win at home against the sad sack Chargers?

              2. They didn’t quit on him Grant. They played a couple of very poor games against Miami and GB, but in two of the final 3 games, they lost by a point to Detroit and won by 3 in OT on the road in KC. They just weren’t good enough to close the deal on a playoff spot.

              3. Of course they gave up points – Chuck Bresnahan was their DC – he was terrible. I’m being kind.

                Plus, the team knew Hue was out as soon as they brought in a new GM and restructured the management team. I have no issues with him as a potential HC – he did a very respectable job with the Raiders under some very difficult circumstances.

              4. Being a somewhat impartial observer in this argument since I am a die hard Niner fan and do not root for the Raiders, yet watched those games because Hue made those games important, I thought the DBs gave away the games by whiffing constantly. those bonehead errors are what Hue was so upset about. He did his job. He got them to the brink, but certain players failed to execute basic plays.

          2. “After the last game of the season, Jackson infamously passed the blame onto his players.”
            ~ Grant

            If he (Jackson) was ranting and raving about HIS inability to motivate, you may want to rephrase the above comment.

            1. Go watch the interview again. He was railing against his players when he should have been railing against himself.

              1. you are why people hate journalists grant, selective bs. you are so predictable and boring. didn’t .come here for a couple months, now i remember why. if i ever meet you i’m giving you a nice slap on the face.

      2. Not a deal breaker in my book. Hue may have let his emotions get the best of him, but I would rather have an emotional HC who is an offensive wizard than a reserved HC who isn’t.

    1. You hit the nail on the head about running out of options. Who realistically would want to come to the 49ers? Not many second time round HCs. Hue might because he knows Baalke. Kelly has said he’d like to. Then you have Holmgren and Shanahan. Who else other than the coaches already on staff with previous HC experience?

      1. I think the smart thing to do in our situation is hire an up and coming OC. Someone who has worked with quality head coaches and other coordinators. Someone who can instill a scheme and let it develop with young talent.
        Adam Gase is my first choice. D.Bevell in Seattle would be a good fit and maybe Kyle Shannahan as well.

        1. Gase is very unlikely to come here after last year’s search. All of them would be risky choices, which I doubt Baalke would be keen to make. He knows he’s on the hot seat. He’ll likely play it safe.

          1. All of this just highlights the impossible job Jed gave Baalke. Baalke’s job is to basically go hire a supremely talented head coach who can take the 9ers to the promised land even though Jed and Baalke have created a situation where no competent coach will want to coach. Begs the question, why did Jed keep Baalke? If Jed really wanted to return to greatness he would have fired Baalke and hired a well regarded GM candidate that could bring a top coach with him to the 49ers.

            1. like tomsula, york gets another fall guy if the season goes bad, thats why Baalke is there.

          2. Agreed, slightly. I don’t think he’s playing it safe. Playing it safe will get him fired. I think he’s out for blood. I honestly think he’s swinging for the fences with this pick. Especially if he goes with holgren or Shanahan. He want to win now, and with the draft picks and money look for him to be a player in free agency as well. He’s gonna want free agents to come and what better way to advertise than with super bowl winning coaches. No matter the age

              1. Agreed. Jackson (warts and all) is the best viable remaining HC candidate. He’s a better fit for the 49ers personnel than Kelly.

                Jed or Baalke said there was a very short list if candidates Unless there’s a diamond in the rough, there aren’t alot of options out there.

                I’m not against a first year head coach if they are a buh-dass OC. I’d be OK with Gase. (who must be glad he didn’t get the job last year bore Aldon/Davis/Kilgore turned into pumpkins.

              2. Brodie,

                Can you or anyone here make a case for Gase as a HC? He’s a decent OC with zero HC experience at any level. To quote Greg Cossell from this morning on KNBR (gawd, has things come to such a pass that I’ve to quote Cossell?!), just because a OC can call good plays on third and six doesn’t mean that he’s going to be worth anything as a HC.

                I wonder if Gase has had any opportunity to show the skill-set needed for being a successful HC. I’m a little suspicious that Elway who knows what winning is about let him go so easily.

        2. How many “up and coming’ OC’s have actually succeeded? Sean payton? Bruce arians? Even though he wasn’t up and coming. Look at the rest.. Tod Haley, Ken wisenhunt,Mike mularky, Gus bradley, Dan Quinn, even though they were defense, Dan Campbell, Joe philbin, hue Jackson, Jason Garrett, Jay gruden, Mike pettine, Chuck pagano, mark trestman,??? List goes on. This team needs an established head coach. This roster isint garbage at the beginning of a rebuild. That’s when teams need an up and comer so players and coach can grow together. This team has talent that needs a coach that knows how to win and direct team chemistry. And if he’s an offensive mind, the that’s an added bonus. It’s just my opinion but an ” up and coming ” OC would pit us back in the coaching line in 3 years. Relatively all up and comers are, are coaches who have good to great talent and are taking advantage of the successes of those players. Now do their schemes have skill? Of course,but that doesn’t mean they are head coach material. See my list above. But do these guys deserve a shot, of course. But that doesn’t mean we “Need” them.

        1. Mora has already said he is staying at UCLA. Why would he want to leave for the 49ers?

          1. Money and the desire to coach an NFL team. He has to say he’s staying at UCLA. Signing day is less than a month away.

            1. He’s tried and failed before. The next HC gig he gets (if he gets one) will be his last. You think he’d take that chance with the 49ers? Seems unlikely to me.

              1. Head coach of the 49ers is a much more glamorous job than head coach of UCLA. If the 49ers offered $5 million a year, I think he’d probably listen.

              2. He is not in the $5 million a year convo. Jim Mora Jr. doesn’t excite a fan base. It says hmmm, ok maybe he can be ok? That’s not worth 5 large!

              3. It’s a moot point anyway I believe. It looks very much like they want an offensive minded HC.

              4. With the current state of the team, an offensive minded coach is a no brainer. They need someone that can build an offense from scratch that might include a rookie QB. I can’t see a defensive minded coach being able to do that or rely on a coordinator who might leave after a year or two.

              5. I would be extremely disappointed if they went with Mora. They need an offensive Coach imo.

              6. Seahawks offense has never been anything special. They are a team that has relied heavily on defense and the run game until this season. It also helps to have a QB who has that kind of mobility and awareness to make plays outside the pocket.

              7. Grant:

                Until very recently, Seahawks fans have consistently called for Bevell’s head. Except for their superbowl season, the ‘Chickens have started the seasons relatively slowly and then finished very strongly. IMO, this year’s strong season-ending run is due primarily to Wilson. His scrambling ability freezes defenses and when the secondary players finally decide to make a move to stop a potential run, he just throws it to an open receiver in the area the defender left. So, maybe it’s also that RW and his receivers are now more in tune and now how to “play” the secondaries once Wilson starts scrambling.

                The thing that amazes me about Wilson is that he never seems to get seriously hurt. Regardless of how many hits he takes or is bent in an awkward position, he never gets hurt. That to me is one of his greatest, intangible qualities.

        2. I think Mora’s temperament may be a little to close to Harbaugh’s for the 49ers brass.

            1. Yes they need a coach who brings a certain toughness but Mora is a bit over the top. He’s perfect for the college game where he has the players by the throat. He’s proven that he’s not the guy at the NFL level.

              1. Mora has so much more experience as a head coach than he did in ’09, which may translate to more success this time around.

          1. I agree with Jack that Mora is feisty, maybe to the point of being self destructive at times. Grant makes a good point about the temperament, though. They need someone with some fire but not somebody that over does it. Carroll and Arians are excellent leaders of men. Arians was a great hire for Arizona.

      2. A recent better rivals podcast (and one from last year) noted the three types of head coaching hires most likely to fail are…
        – Position coaches that have never been coordinators
        – Internal hires (Seifert’s an exception)
        – First time head coaches

        With Gase alienated, the pickings could be looking pretty slim.

          1. Thanks. That breaks it down nicely. With college coaching positions becoming more attractive as career destinations, experienced HCs will be harder to come by.

            1. Notice how there’s no category that blows you away, though. All of the categories hover around .500. Picking NFL coaches and drafting NFL players is a very uncertain business.

      3. You guys just don’t wan’t to see it but it’s right there;

        We’d like to thank all of the extremely talented candidates that showed interest in coaching the 49ers but after an exhaustive search the team has decided that the best candidate was actually here in the building all along. Please welcome Eric Mangini as the next 49ers Head Coach.

        1. CFC,

          Normally I would agree with that possibility considering this teams history, but having stated there are no in house candidates and knowing the backlash they would face if they named Mangini the HC, I can’t see it happening.

        2. Coffee:

          That thought has been going through my mind the last couple of days as well. However, I agree with Rocket. They explicitly stated that they were not considering in-house candidates and there would be, relatively speaking, hell to pay if they don’t bring a HC in from the outside. If it does happen that Mangini is named HC, then any “good will” that Jed was able to generate from his PC will quickly evaporate and you can expect a continued social and aerial assault on the Yorks.

        3. Never forget that we’re dealing with a brain trust that honestly thought Jim Tomsula was the best choice.

          I’m not saying there’s a high percentage here I’m just saying with these people you simply can’t rule it out.

  7. I think all these coaches would want to keep Kap, thus the reason SOMEONE/SOMEONE’S dad doesn’t want them hired.

  8. Any way they could twist David Shaw’s arm? Would be a great hire. I am no so sure I would dismiss Chip Kelly. Wouldn’t be GM, so I don’t think he good hurt us personel-wise likens did with the Eagles. I think a uptempo offense could work with existing roster.

        1. Grant is trying to pawn off his beloved Bruins coach on us because he hates the 49ers and is watching mora choke vs their biggest rival. Nice try grant.
          We’re on to you. We heard this pitch last season with tomsula’ presser!

  9. C’mon Grant! This is pathetic. In one column you stump for Jim Frickin Mora and in the next, you bash Chip Kelly and Hue Jackson! What are you doing?

    Whenever it comes to this time of year, when there are infinite possibilities for fun articles, you ALWAYS fail to deliver anything worth reading. I don’t get it. You’re a hell of a writer and obviously a smart guy, but when it comes time to get the least bit creative, you think it’s funny to reference a musical from eons ago that none but the oldest among us might recognize. Everyone talks about “camps.” The Kaepernick camp, the Kelly camp, the Harbaugh camp, the Payton camp, blah blah blah.

    Do something fun. Do something original. Look at what Kawakami did today by pointing out that the Niners FO will have to answer for its maltreatment of Kaep this season when it comes time to hire a coach; why not try for an interview of Kaep or someone in his “camp”? Why not try to do something other people aren’t doing — and I don’t mean pulling JOs like Jim Mora out of your backside and throwing them in the potential coaching pool.

    Really disappointing, coming from you. You’re so much better than this.

    1. I think Shefty may have turned him down for an autograph so he wanted to bash him in addition to these coaches.

    2. It’s what Grant does. He knows Hue Jackson is probably at, or near the top of the list, and Shanahan isn’t far behind. Grant is an opportunist. Grants problem is that these articles always catch up to him. It’s a lazy attempt to create controversy, and it usually ends with Grant being proven wrong on most levels!

  10. I just had this weird deja vu moment where I remembered your Dad writing this exact same article 38 years ago with Bill Walsh’s name at the top of this negative list.

      1. He’s not as disconnected from the NFL as you may think. He has good connections in the coordinator ranks. Not saying it’s the best HC choice. Just offering the name for debate.

        1. Good point, could be one of these good college coaches ready to turn to the NFL. My problem is this hire is so vital. Can the 49ers really go with an unknown? Someone with no NFL experience? A bad hire results in many future problems for the 49ers. They need tried and proven, not potential and inexperience!

          1. Seriously? Why Hue? He’s been mildly successful with great talent and been a huge bust as a HC. What is the attraction. I just don’t see it.

            1. Maybe Hue has grown up. Learned how to be less emotional from a calming presence in Marv Lewis. I see him as a greater presence but McDaniel might be better schematically having learnt from the best!

              1. So0 if Hue can go 8-8 with a terrible Front Office I’d like to get my prediction in for next season early.

                The Niners will go 8-8…. Good news is… Harbaugh did that as well….

            2. Going 8-8 with one of the worst rosters in the league is not the definition of being a bust as a HC.

              There are no sure things here. There are talented coordinators and there are former HC’s. All of them have pros and cons, but there is no perfect candidate. What Hue Jackson said after a frustrating end to a season has nothing to do with whether he’s HC material now. The question is whether he can help this team win.

              1. It has everything to do with this current situation.
                These players are lost, lazy, undisciplined and NEED a leader. Leaders don’t belittle their players in public. That lockeroom seems to be fragile (not Italian) right now. They already have an owner who passes the buck a HC that might do the same is a huge red flag and could set these young players up for failure and little growth.
                No thanks Hue!

              2. MD,

                Jackson included himself in the rant and didn’t single out specific players. It was not nearly as bad as it was made out to be. Going 8-8 that season and the season prior when he was the OC, was impressive considering how bad the roster was and the lack of leadership in the organization.

              3. IMO including yourself doesn’t excuse it. I know it was for the horrible raiders and their horrible front office. But if he went 8-8 with that what is he going to do here? I don’t see any difference in the two front offices and teams

              4. So if Hue can go 8-8 with a poor roster and a terrible Front Office I’d like to get my prediction in for next season early.

                The Niners will go 8-8…. Good news is… Harbaugh did that as well….

    1. Cassie

      Wrong Kelly…besides the niners couldn’t (wouldn’t ) afford what ND pays him “Chip is a Flop;” 10-6…10-6…7-9…Bah Humbug,Grant….

  11. Grant,

    Do you think Belichick’s success is characterized by Brady? He was fired from the Browns, and given another shot years later (although admittedly

    1. Admittedly I wasn’t around for the circumstances). It’s interesting to me especially since the year Brady went down, the Pats went 11-5 with Matt Cassell.

  12. Hue Jackson is a much better coach that you’re giving him credit for, Grant. He coached the Raiders for what, one season…and you expected he’d vault them into the playoffs? He’s coached just about every position on offense and even the secondary for a season. OC for 4 different teams…the last 2 yrs leading the Bengals offense. After 15 years of NFL coaching experience I’d say he’s pretty qualified to get another shot as HC.

  13. Baalke on what he’s looking for in a HC:

    “I think experience is a good word.”

    Baalke on FA:

    1) “You build through the draft. You supplement your roster with free agency.”

    2) “You take care of your own guys because that creates ownership on their part.” So does that mean he’ll push hard for Williams and Boone?

    1. But he let Iupati, Gore, Skuta, Cox, Culliver and Crabtree walk away even though he had 13 mil under the cap.

      1. I don’t fault Baalke for that. Those were good decisions. The only one I’m sorry about losing was Skuta, but he was paid starter’s money, I believe.

        1. In hindsight, with all the O line woes, it was a bad decision to let Iupati walk to a division rival because now they are in the playoffs and the Niners are in disarray.

          1. Actually SEb, they had a pretty good OL on the roster all along this season, they just failed to recognize it.

            Devey was clearly a MAJOR weak link. They should have Plugged Tiller in at RG, moved Pears to LG, and moved Boone to LT until the big kid, Trent Brown was ready, and once he was, they could have plugged Brown in at LT and moved Boone back to his old LG spot.

            I know hindsight is twenty-twenty, but I was calling for a shake up as early as week 2, and I don’t get paid the big bucks like Tomfoola and Forester do.

            1. Sorry. my bad.

              I meant move Pears to RG, Boone to RT, and Tiller to LG. Once Brown was ready, plug him in at RT, and move Boone back to his old RG spot!

      2. Aldon was under contract and it was expected that he would play out the season and earn the entire 9+ million. A fair amount of that $13 million resulted from Aldon.

        1. Don’t bother cubus. Many people have explained this to seb on more than one occasion. It doesn’t take.

            1. “Aldon left before a snap of the ball”

              But he left AFTER all those players you mentioned were already signed by other teams.

              It is not hard to understand so I believe you just choose to ignore it so you can keep bashing Baalke for something he is not guilty.

              The on FA Baalke let go that he probably regrets is Delaine Walker.
              But at the time it did not look he was woth the money TEN gave him.

              1. Gore was the heart and soul of the offense, but Baalke thought Hyde was superior, except Hyde disappeared.
                What were Crabtree’s numbers at Oakland?
                85 receptions for 922 yards and 9 TDs. Bet Baalke regrets throwing him away like a piece of trash.
                Baalke had that money at the beginning of the season and spent only a little of it for couch potatoes.

              2. He didn’t have the money.
                But ok, keep living in your alternate reality.

                I can’t fault you. It must be better than ours.

              3. Allen,

                The Seb has a unique capacity for linking together what others would find to be disparate ideas. Here, he has seen a connection between the current cap figures and the 49ers non-retention of free agents at a period where the same amount of cap space did not exist. It is one of the many wonders of his mind that he can perceive such connections that exist outside of temporal and causal frameworks.

                However, here The Seb is also promoting the position that once Smith was released, Baalke should have used the newly available cap space to sign impact free agents. Yes, such a position may, on the surface, seem contradictory with respect to his position on retaining 49ers’ free agents with the same perceived cap space, but that is just a testament to The Seb’s ability to see beyond the petty restriction the rest of us slave under.

                With respect to signing players after Aldon Smith was released, you and I might believe the conventional wisdom that very few, if any, impact FAs were available for Baalke, or anyone else, to sign just prior to the season. To follow along with The Seb’s stunning thought process, we must look at the handful of examples of players signed just before the season started or after the season had started who ended up as having an impact. While we might think that the even greater number of ineffective players signed just before the season began or after the season began more than offsets the few successes and shows that finding a good player after training camp and preseason is akin to a blind pig finding an acorn, The Seb sees beyond what we do. He understands that Baalke should have found those best players who were available among the castoffs and signed them all to lucrative contracts.

                We can only hope that Jed as passed on The Seb’s criticisms, which The Seb tells us that Jed has read, and that next year, Baalke is able to implement The Seb’s vision and re-sign 49ers’ free agents, acquire impact free agents during the FA period, and sign only the successful castoffs that are available when the 2016 season begins.

                Although, I must say I am concerned that if Baalke uses all the cap space to re-sign 49ers’ free agents and impact free agents, since not using all of it would mean he was lowballing the players signed, that he will be left without salary cap reserves that he can then use to snatch up all the impact castoffs once the season starts. However, I suspect my concern is just a product of my inability to appreciate the intricacies of The Seb’s suggestions to Baalke.

        2. I realize that they were paid more to leave, but he did not even offer Gore a contract and lowballed Crabtree. Gore was a team leader and almost ran for another 1000 yards. Crabtree was offered less with no guarantee for playing time. The Raider job was superior because he was given a chance to play with a promise to renegotiate, so now Crabtree has a far superior contract.

  14. Why not consider Tom Coughlin as the 49er head coach. He has a few years of
    coaching left in him. All the Giants players loved him. Obviously he has NFL
    head coaching experience. Two Super Bowl wins. If anyone could get along
    with Baalke, he would be the one. All the other candidates have warts on them,
    including Shanahan, Holmgren, H. Jackson, Kelly or they have never been a
    head coach. Tom Coughlin would be the “home run” that Jed York and Baalke
    are looking for.

      1. Of course he would. The idea that nobody wants to work with 49ers FO is wildly overblown.

        Coughlin wants time off though, so it’s a non-starter.

  15. Just curious where Bill Musgrave would rank in the talks for head coach. He’s a offensive minded coach, former player, has experience in the sense he’s not a push over (though not as head coach). I thought his game plan against Harbaugh with Christain Ponder and Percy Harvin was impressive. As said before, I think the pickings are kind of slim.

    1. If memory serves ..
      there used to be a back-up to “The Joe” ..
      named Bill Musgrave… same guy ?

      and if so … would he wanna “come home” ?

  16. I don’t see why everyone is down on Chip Kelly. He took over a 4-12 eagles team and got them to 10-6 in back to back seasons. By all accounts he is tremendously intelligent. Many eagles fans here in Philadelphia feel he will win a super bowl with his next team. More importantly, he won with no qb whatsoever, and a horrendous defense. At least his specialty, offense, was the strength of the team.

    Furthermore, Carlos Hyde is the picture perfect back for his run offense. If he wanted Kaepernick to start that run offense would be deadly. If he preferred Gabbert, his short and intermediate throws fit his pass offense very well while also providing the threat of the zone read.

    Don’t worry about his dismantling of the eagles roster, because it is very clear nobody is giving him that power again anytime soon.

    1. Because players think he’s either a racist or a cold son of a Btch. All of them? No. But enough to make a difference. Why do you think Frank Gire changed his mind about Philadelphia at the last instant after he spoke to some current and former Eagles players? Chip would be disaturous for team morale.

      1. Frank gore changed his mind becaue the colts came calling and he had a chance to play with Andrew Luck. He was only going to the eagles when he thought nobody else wanted him. He has stated dozens of times how much he dislikes running from shotgun, which is mostly what the eagles do. He was going there because he had no other suitors.

        If u recall Harbaugh wasn’t exactly great for team morale his last year, there weren’t any guys teary eyed and moon faced when he left. In fact Alex Boone said he wanted to kick his *ss.

        When u have someone that is intelligent close to the point of being a genius like Chip Kelly is, sometimes u take a chance that they will learn from past mistakes.

        As for the racist thing, he is so racist that he drafted Agholor to replace Maclin, signs Murray and Matthews to replace McCoy, signed Maxwell to a $60 million contract, and cut Evan Mathis. Let’s see 4 new black guys, and cut a white guy. Oh yeah he is really racist lol.

        The fact remains that Kelly has had success with garbage QBs and garbage defenses. Offensive success that this team hasn’t seen in 20 years.

    2. There is more than one way to tear down a roster. Chip Kelly seems to be good at that job. He didn’t dump that talent because they sucked. Think about that.

      1. LOL! Yeah after 24 years as a coach he suddenly turned racist.

        If he was truly racist why would he go out and get DeMarco Murray or let Evan Mathis walk?

        1. I don’t get the racist label. Feels like his rep was killed with the shady McCoy trade….

      2. If u knew what u were talking about u would know that he dumped McCoy and Jackson because they aren’t all about football. He wants guys whose entire life is football. Kelly’s entire life is football. No wife, no kids, he eats sleeps and breathes football. I’ll take that guy.

    1. I wonder if they’ll jump in the Hue Jackson sweepstakes. You gotta think coaching Winston appeals to Jackson.

      1. That is a firing out of left field. Lovie made some strides with that team this year and with a rookie QB no less. Maybe Dirk Koetter will be cut loose too. He’d be a great option for OC if the Niners went with a Defensive minded HC.

          1. Ahh that would make sense then. They would only be changing the guy on top; the rest of the staff would stay the same.

  17. One name that I haven’t seen crop up yet is Rob Chudzinski. 49ers wanted him as OC last year. He did poorly with the Browns, but its the Browns, he had Jason Campbell as his QB and a lot of the games they lost were pretty close. He may be someone Baalke looks at.

    1. I think the Colts barred Chudzinski from interviewing for 49er OC.

      For OC 49ers seemed to have wanted Gase, Chudzinski… with Chryst rd (or worse)

      1. 3rd or worse. Clearly Chryst was not the first choice.

        An interesting side note: The Colts released Greg Manusky in case anyone is speculating on the next DC.

      2. Yep, they denied 49ers permission but only after Chudzinski had said he wasn’t interested. But perhaps as HC he might be interested, and Colts couldn’t deny the 49ers a chance to interview him.

  18. It’s funny we keep trying out who will be the best fit or who wouldn’t be good, but maybe we should ask who we think they’ll hire. I don’t believe they’re interested in what’s best for the team, only which name will appease fans and stop banners from flying over the stadium on game day. They want damage control.

    This would rule out any coordinator except Jackson (because of his previous ties to the bay – most Raider fans liked him and were sad to see him go). It also limits our choices down to Shanahan, Kelly, and Holmgren.

    My guess says Jackson is the front runner, followed by Kelly, Shanahan, and Holmgren as a last resort. If they go with anyone outside of those four, I’d be shocked.

          1. They lost to the Niners. That is how bad they were offensively, especially when their coach went brain dead and did not go for it on 4th down.

    1. Well, if the worst we can do is Hue, Shanahan or Kelly, than it’s not so bad.

      As long we dont get Mangini or something like that, there is hope for a better season.

    2. So you’re saying interviewing Anthony Lynn is a smokescreen or mere Rooney Rule compliance? ;-)

      I personally don’t see how Lynn is a serious HC candidate (not enough experience and extremely unknown), and I tend to agree with your analysis, 49erGirl. I think it’s Jackson, Kelly, or Shanahan. Maybe Dirk Koetter and maybe Mike Shula from Carolina could be added in.

      1. I don’t know what their motivation is for interviewing Lynn, but it is suspicious of completing a Rooney Rule check box – I’m guessing the set it up when they still thought they had a chance to get Payton away from the Saints and weren’t sure if they were ever going to get around to Hue Jackson.

        What I’m saying is that if they want fan support, Lynn is not their guy. As far as the casual fan goes he’s just another position coach who also has the title of “Assistant Head Coach”. Our last couple position coaches who have been promoted haven’t worked out very well and it will come across as the “cheap” hire.

        I think if they want someone without previous HC experience they would be foolish to hire someone with out at least a significant amount of experience as a successful OC or DC where they can better justify their selection.

    1. Great point.
      I would be glad with any name on this list, in reverse order as my preference.

  19. Why not Adam Gase? York forced Tomsula on him. Maybe Baalke reiterates to him ownership will not this time. It seemed they had a deal in place before York piped up.

    1. After being given the run around last year, why would he want to come here? He’s a hot name atm, can’t see him being without other options.

      1. I don’t think coaches can hold grudges in this business. If they were close last year and the one stipulation is gone, why not?
        Doesn’t Gase have a history in San Fran? He also might be able to get over last years run around with a nice contract and more control over personnel. He should T least interview.

        1. Its pretty telling to hear Gase is interviewing with 3 other teams but not the Niners.
          Coaches cant hold grudges? Remember JH?

  20. My fantasy pick is Vic Fangio, but I think the bold pick is Mark Helfrich. Jed should throw money at him. Mark would leave because it would give Chip his mentor a soft landing, and the Niners would get the man who coached up Mariota.

    1. Gruden would be a big splash, and that would certainly appease the masses. No way that happens without the rumor mill catching wind of it, so I assume it ain’t happening.

      I’d take Lovie Smith if they could also get a decent offensive coordinator.

      Jackson doesn’t do it for me. Some folks are high on him, and 8-8 with the Raiders was fine (who cares about a couple random lines from his press conference), but his recent success as a coordinator has more to do with the talent on his roster. Cinci is loaded at literally every offensive position (except QB, Dalton is Ok, like 2nd or 3rd quartile). Not one guy on our offense would start on their offense.

  21. To be honest, I would take Chip Kelly over Mora in a heartbeat. I was never impressed at all with Mora. Having said that, I think both Todd Haley and Josh McDaniels need serious consideration for the position. It’s too bad Shaw is returning to the Farm, as he would be the best candidate at there by a landslide.

    1. Excuse me Skip, but Shaw isn’t returning to the Farm. As far as football is concerned, he is the Farm with no intent to go anywhere else.

  22. In this case. Dork should fly to Michigan and kiss Jim Harbaugh’s feet and beg on knees to bring Harbaugh back. Nawwwww it won’t happen. Waiting for another 6-10 season next year.
    I am boycotting 49ers games. Dorky and his blood brother Porki (Baalke) got to go before 49ers can improve. Oh nooooooooo Baalke is interviewing coaches instead of getting fired. Oh nooooooo Baalke is going to draft failures again. Baalke is a 49ers Killer and Dorky is doomed.

  23. Give the Saints compensation and get Payton. I know he said he’s staying but if he’s traded, it’s not up to him. It could be New Orleans driving up his price too…

    1. Big Niner,

      Coaches have to agree to be traded. It’s not like trading players. Payton is going nowhere.

  24. Skip,
    Todd Haley is somebody that I thought would be on their radar. He has previous experience but isn’t old. He is a very good OC and has a fiery competitive streak. He’s also a Parcells favorite.

    Mcdaniels is an interesting candidate as well. Coming from New England, he might work better with the front office. I think he would do well with a young QB.

    1. I threw out Haley’s name a couple of days ago for the same reason. He’s been with a great organization for a few years now and would be a second time HC with a lot more experience this time around. He’s a Parcell’s disciple too which you know intrigues Baalke. He wouldn’t be my top pick, but he’s worth interviewing at the very least.

  25. The Steelers may have the best offense in football. They can pass and run. Todd Haley brings that. He has improved upon on what Bruce Arians did in Pittsburgh. Big Ben has improved under Haley. Brown has become the best receiver in football under Haley.

    He has head coaching experience. Pittsburgh is a fabulous organization. They’ve won year in and year out since 1970. The experience in Pittsburgh makes him a stronger candidate the second time.

  26. Brian Griese went to the Pro Bowl under Shanahan. Shanahan has averaged a top ten offense AFTER Elway retired. It’s LAUGHABLE to suggest Shanahan isn’t a true expert in NFL offense. Even his last two years in Washington produced top ten offenses (5th and 9th respectfully).

    If we want an offensive coach, the best one available according to THE NUMBERS over the last five years is MIKE SHANAHAN. You have to be willfully ignorant not to know that. All it takes is comparative glances at the statistics.

    1. I don’t know the specifics of dealing with Snyder, but Shanahan seemed ambivalent at times about coaching in Washington. I don’t know that he really wanted RG3. He continued to talk up Cousins, who has seemed to make substantial strides as a starting QB. He was considered one of the top coaches in all of football. If he was fully committed he’d be a hell of a coach. I don’t think the guys with ties to the great years take that lightly. I think it means something to them. We shall see.

    2. Lets look at the numbers. 5 years as HC, 2 SB with Elway and Terrell Davis, then 14 years of mediocrity. The stint in Washington showed he is not the answer.
      Why has no team hired him the past 2 years?

    3. Ben,there has been a considerable amount of ageist poppycock aimed at the coaching candidates past the age of 60 being paraded in public forum.I like that you avoid that morass and cut to the chase on the issue here.

  27. Tom Clements, Tom Clements, Tom Clements, way too many idiots on this post. check his résumé, Great Bill Walsh like…

    1. Interesting name,your suggestion might be better received however sans calling other posters idiots.

    2. Like Josh Mcdaniels and Bellichick, Clements is being groomed to succeed McCarthy, the present HC. Both are way too smart to come to this dumpster fire to get stabbed in the back and fired before his last game of the season.

        1. McCarthy almost got fired last year after going brain dead against the Seahawks.
          After the trials and tribulations of this year, McCarthy may not feel too secure this year. If GB is ousted in the first round, anything is possible.

          1. Seb,

            I have never seen anyone throw out so much erroneous information in all my time here. In this little section of the thread alone you’ve stated multiple things that are wrong. Try and do a little research before you type.

            1. So, the GB Packers was happy the way Mccarthy coached those last 5 minutes? The posters were calling for his head, especially since they had bought their tickets to the SB.
              I read that they were not happy, but decided to let him have another chance.

              1. McCarthy didn’t almost get fired last year. It’s a ridiculous statement and if you are basing it on reading a bunch of pissed off fans reaction to a loss on a message board, well then you need to give your head a shake. That was just one of a number of incorrect statements you’ve made in here today. Your Shanahan take and the belief a 62 year old OC was being groomed to take over for a HC 10 years his jr. are all part of an unprecedented run of ignorance on here.

              2. Rocket,

                I once would have thought as you do, but exposure to The Seb has shown me an alternative avenue of cogitation. This allows me just a glimmer of insight into the rich, mental world of The Seb.

                Now, The Seb is shrewd in his evaluation of the acumen of posters on the internet, so if he gave credence to the posts of others, we can reasonably assume those posts were on an intellectual par with that of The Seb. Thus, as The Seb could no doubt explain to us, it is likely the board of the Packers, as they represent the stock owners/fans, read the message boards and and set out to fire McCarthy in accordance with the wishes of the posters on Packers’ fan sites. However, there must have been just enough dissent among these savvy posters that the board thought better of it and gave him one more year to make sure that he and his players were not, to use a common cliche, ‘not shooting themselves in the foot’.

              3. Great response Gadfly. I really need to study the mindset of the Seb further to get a true grasp of the depths it can reach.

              4. Rocket, if memory serves me, the Packer organization gave McCarthy a vote of confidence. That very fact implied that there was turmoil and people were calling for his head, with good reason. It is hard to get back to the SB, and for 55 minutes, the Packers were all set to return. However, it was the brain dead coaching that told the players to try and catch the onside kick instead of punching out of bounds that doomed their season. If you can show me that they were not upset at all and thought that the ball bounced in the Seahawks favor, I will be willing to read it.
                Your obstinate denial that he was on the hot seat for his settling for field goals with 4th and 1, his conservative play calling and his failure on ST, is not backed up by facts because he was relieved of play calling duties after that massive collapse which will haunt the Packers for years.
                Additionally, there have been several articles that question his job security as HC and some are speculating if he does not win in Washington, he may be the fall guy.

  28. I don’t think anyone on Grant’s list would likely work out and if Hue Jackson were such a great coaching prospect, he’d be coaching by now. I’m especially wanting to avoid Kelly. I think he would be a disaster. Most people will mention names that have been bandied about though I’m not sure that will ultimately prove to be the solution in the long run. The brass will be splashy no doubt but that may prove only a temporary solution. Truth is a systematic overhaul is needed and was not taken only a staff change, an important and key one, but the guy picking is still there.

  29. Grant, you offered not even ONE intelligent comment about Holmgren. Not one, just very silly insults. He’s one the too coaches in the NFK in the past thirty years. Let’s be honest. This team ain’t gonna win. Baalke stinks as a GM. So …. hire Chip and at least have a fun year or two before he’s fired. MORA????? ….. excuse me …. I dozed off for a moment … Mora! geez, are you drunk?

  30. Why is nobody even trying to throw $8mil/year at Urban Meyer? The guy has won wherever he’s gone (Bowling Green, Utah, Florida, Ohio State), and he’s turned the programs around in year one each time. He’s from Ohio (as are the Yorks) and he’s big on Notre Dame (as are the Yorks)…if that’s not a conversation starter, throw a bunch of money his way!

    1. All Meyer has to do is put a call into Harbaugh and inquire about York and Baalke and that would be squashed instantly.

    2. Meyer has been outspoken about not being interested in the NFL. He’s a College Coach and he has his dream job right now.

  31. With Baalke and Yorkie leading the charge it’s hard to have confidence in anything going right at 4949… They were so quick to fire their first successful HC in 16 years of the York’s team ownership… Considering Baalke’s micro-managing/meddling style, why would any credible HC candidate want to take this job? York messed up once again by not cleaning house and it will result in another season of failure unfortunately…

  32. NFL is a league of coaching re-treads. Look at the way former 49eer head coaches Erickson, Nolan, Singletary and now Tomsula get chance after chance at head coaching positions. Oh wait, those are the other teams guys that are considered professionally competent.

  33. Kaepernick’s future is still a major issue for the 49ers and possibly the fulcrum upon which their entire coaching search turns.
    Game Over 49er Fans:

    When coaching candidates piece together how the leaks capsized Harbaugh; playing with injuries ruined kap’s season, and more leaks to cover up why those injuries went unannounced–Nobody would ever coach here unless they want to commit career Hari-cari

    I wonder if York and general manager Trent Baalke understand the full dimension of this,
    Given their recent history of heedless, stone-headed decision-making, I would guess that Baalke and York don’t understand this at all.
    I guarantee you that any smart candidate — anybody who should be at the top of the team’s search list — is going to want a clear explanation of what went on with Kaepernick
    Cincinnati offensive coordinator Hue Jackson will want a truthful explanation of the 49ers’ leaks and disparagement of Kaepernick, which, by the way, probably won’t make York, Baalke and Paraag Marathe look too good.

  34. The only hire that would really make a splash is giving David Shaw a ton of dough to leave Stanford.

    Jackson is a good candidate, but outside of Shaw none of these guys is going to fire up the fans.

    1. I’d be pleased if they got Coughlin. I don’t think there is anyone out there outside of Cowher that I would actually get excited about.

  35. My understanding is that Kaepernick will not accept a pay cut, period. That is not happening.

    He signed this “team-friendly” deal two offseasons ago precisely to give the 49ers extra cash to spend on his teammates … which 49ers management absolutely did not do.

  36. They pocketed the money. They let teammates such as Mike Iupati and Frank Gore go.

    Then 49ers executives bragged to national reporters about strafing Kaepernick so badly on that deal, which is so typical of the York front office.

    T. Kawakami, above article

    1. I have mentioned since the beginning of the season, throughout the season, and at season’s end, the Mt. Rushmore sized egos we’re dealing with here…and now this national television event by the braggadocios that if you come to the 49ers the front office will screw you and tweet against you!…Whose going to coach in this place, where the Silicon Valley Reps walk through your locker room after a loss sipping their martinis, and if you look at them crossly they run up and tell Jed, and, boom whoosh, you’re fired!

  37. I think Mike Holmgren should be the new coach. He helped train Joe Montana, Steve Young,Brett Farve and Matt Hassleback . He is a West Coast Offense guy, a Bill Walsh guy. He could coach for a couple years and groom Tom Rathman as the future head coach and then step back into another role. It will probably never happen though because Balke is a Parcels guy and Jed York seems intent on purposely doing things differently than his uncle did. Jed is going to have a tuff time getting this thing right because neither he or Balke seem to be able to get along with anybody with an opinion that differs from theirs.

      1. Hue Jackson is probably the best candidate for the 49ers, now, from an overall perspective
        A University of Pacific graduate–(Harvard of the West Coast)–T Kawakami gives reasons why he would not come here:

        Given their recent history of heedless, stone-headed decision-making, I would guess that Baalke and York don’t understand this at all.
        I guarantee you that any smart candidate — anybody who should be at the top of the team’s search list — is going to want a clear explanation of what went on with Kaepernick
        Cincinnati offensive coordinator Hue Jackson will want a truthful explanation of the 49ers’ leaks and disparagement of Kaepernick, which, by the way, probably won’t make York, Baalke and Paraag Marathe look too good.

  38. With Koetter in line to get the Bucs job it’s makes last years hires even more painful. If I remember they didn’t even bother interviewing Koetter last year. Why not? He was apparently worthy to be a head coach this year about last year he wasn’t even OC worthy?

    Just remember the same people are involved in the same search again this year.

  39. Grant 3 out of 4 ain’t bad. Other than Jackson I agree with you strongly on the other 3 coaches. I understand what you’re saying about Jackson and like you, believe that he went off the rail late in his year with Oakland but I also believe he deserves another chance. I’ve learned from my mistakes, I’m sure you have learned from yours and I believe Jackson deserves a chance to learn from his. He was forced to deal with very unusual circumstances in Oakland that year including Al’s death and no management system in place to replace Al. If he can put a good staff together I believe that with his prowess on the offensive side of the ball he could be an excellent HC candidate.

    1. Thanks, Old Coach. I agree people learn from their mistakes. Experience is crucial, which is why I like Mora. He has eight years of head coaching experience. Jackson has one. I’m not sure Jackson could have learned from his HC mistakes by being an OC the past couple years.

      1. I don’t know Grant but every time you tout Mora I get the feeling you’re just trying get a new coach for your Bruins.

          1. Last time Niners hired a Bruins football coach (coach for 20 years), he sent the organization spiraling to purgatory while managing his financial portfolio from Newport Beach. By the way, he came recommended by Bill Walsh.

            I’ve watched every UCLA-Stanford game where Mora has coached. He has lost everyone of them where Stanford basically did the same thing. He hasn’t been able to build a D that can stop the run. He doesn’t learn. He cannot nurture a QB. Mora may get another DC position in the NFL, but he’s done as a HC.

            1. In fairness to Mora’s defense this year, injuries crippled the UCLA defense this year. Previous years, no excuse. As a Bruin fan, this is the first year since Mora has been there that I’m actually beginning to wonder if Mora is the answer.

              It does make you wonder if Mora is a NFL head coaching candidate since the Bruin offensive coordinator left to go to Tex A&M.

    1. Razor

      BRAVO!! Your best response in ages as to Chip Kelly….What a great read…I’m sure you as well as many others who read this piece will be reminded of A young Bill Walsh and how he could draw up a game plan in less time than it took to play the game….After rueing thee loss of Chip at Oregon, nothing could make me happier than to see him take the reins at the 49ers, and let’s get back to the serious business of several more Lombardis….Once again Razor….thanks

      1. Oregon, I am getting on the Chip bandwagon. he is like a breath of fresh air. I hope he can revive the moribund offense.

        1. Seb

          Good to hear it…He IS the real thing…Did you read Razor’s Link ? A real good read….

  40. http://www.ninersnation.com/2016/1/7/10729050/49ers-requested-permission-to-interview-dirk-koetter-no-response-yet

    According to Fucillo: “A team has to grant permission for a HC interview if the assistant is interested in interviewing for the job.”

    I thought teams only had to grant permission for a lateral move. So assistants interviewing for a HC job (whose team is not in the playoffs) don’t require permission at any time to interview for a HC position. Teams that are in the playoffs designate certain days that the assistant coach can interview. Is my understanding correct?

    1. You have to receive permission to interview any coach that is currently under contract with another team.

        1. Thanks. For non-playoff teeams:

          “An assistant coach under contract for the 2016 season must be granted permission to interview with another team if the interview is for a head coach position. A team can deny interviews for an assistant coach under contract interviewing for a non-head coach position.”

          This implies that a team CAN NOT deny permission for an assistant coach to interview for a HC position. If my understanding is correct, then the first sentence of the quote is more of a courtesy notification. In this way, teams know that one of their assistant coaches is interviewing for a HC position.

          1. It’s a formality but it does prevent teams from having the rug pulled out from underneath them by having an assistant position suddenly became vacant they weren’t expecting.

            1. Hidden in all the jargon is the fact that it is all moot if the coach does not want to be interviewed.
              After what happened to Tomsula, what coach in his right mind would want to destroy his career coming to this train wreck, especially if Baalke and Jed are still in charge?

              1. Hidden in all the jargon is the fact that it is all moot if the coach does not want to be interviewed.

                Wow. The Seb has gifted us with another amazing analysis that shows the scope of his cognitive endowment. It would have seemed to me that anyone’s ability to chose not interview for a job was understood, not hidden. But The Seb was able to see what was not there for the rest of us to see — namely that the NFL has hidden an individual’s ability to decline to be interviewed within the ‘jargon’ surrounding regulating when teams must grant permission to interview if another team contacts them about one of their coaches that is under contract.

              2. (Goldfinger…)

                Seb-ny-nah
                He’s the man, the man with THE football brain
                He’ll always reign
                Such odd logic
                Beckons you to enter his twisted world
                But don’t go in

                Delusional words he will post on this blog
                His analysis will leave you agog
                For a Grant poster knows when he’s been dissed
                It’s the diss of death from Mr. Seb-ny-nah…

              3. Methinks thou dost protest too loudly. Rational folk would just leave well enough alone, but you seem to be doubling down. I really must have hit a nerve to be attacked so much. Thats OK, I relish the challenge.

              4. Now they are making up songs about me. I really must dominate their psyche. They really need to think it through…..

          2. “An assistant coach under contract for the 2016 season must be granted permission to interview with another team if the interview is for a head coach position.”

            The Bucs would need to grant permission because Koetter is under contract for 2016.

            1. Yep, but apparently, they can’t deny permission. I wonder what happens if they just decide not to respond or wait quite some time to respond.?

              1. They can deny any assistant who is under contract from interviewing elsewhere.

                The 49ers did it a few years ago with Ed Donatell.

              2. I don’t recall that. Was Donatell interviewing for a HC position or another assistant position?

              3. Donatell was being sought after for a DC job which the team can block. The only position a team can’t deny an interview for is a HC job.

            2. They don’t have to grant permission if they intend to give him their own HC job which is what appears to be happening here.

              1. I’m guessing they are lining up a minority candidate to interview to satisfy the Rooney rule and then they will make it official. That brings up another requirement that I don’t understand. If you plan on promoting from within, why in the world do you have to interview anybody? The spirit of the rule is to give minorities opportunities they might not have otherwise had which is great, but in this case when the team had a minority HC and fired him to promote from within, the rule seems redundant to me.

              2. Yes, but the new candidate (Koetter) is not a minority, is he? I don’t think the ethnic/racial status of the fired HC is a consideration at all.

              3. With it known that they are intending on hiring Koetter they could end up like the ’03 Lions that claimed all of the minority candidates refused to interview knowing that the team had all intentions of hiring Mariucci.

              4. Cubus,

                No Koetter is not a minority candidate, but what I’m saying is if a team is planning to promote from within it makes little sense for them to have to interview somebody simply to fulfill the Rooney rule. They know the Coach they want and already employ him, so what good does it do to have them go through the charade of interviewing someone they have no intention of hiring? I mentioned Lovie was a minority simply because there is no question Tampa is open to hiring minorities which is what the rule was intended to promote.

              5. Rocket the Rooney rule wasn’t put in place only to give minorities the opportunity to get HC jobs. It was also put in place to give them the opportunity to go through the process. The idea is that the more familiar and comfortable you are with the process the better chance you have to eventually get a job.

              6. I understand that old coach and as I said it has served it’s purpose well. My point is that if the team has already made up it’s mind to promote from within, I don’t get the rationale of forcing them to go through an interview with somebody else. There are enough other teams looking for HC’s that could satisfy the rule without having to force a team to interview someone they have no intention of hiring for the position.

              7. While what you say seems to make some sense, Rocket, my guess is that they won’t allow this type of “exception” because it’s not really a hardship on the team conducting the interviews; unless as CFC points out no minority coaches are willing to interview (because they already know the outcome). I don’t know what happens in that case, but there probably has to be a fair amount of documentation submitted to NFL HQ, which takes time and could potentially result in losing the candidate that you are after.

    1. Sean Payton did not interview with 49ers, but everywhere on the internet there are hints the Niners tried to contact him…It appears if we know this much about Jed and Trent–these coaches and their private detectives know more…Look for more coaches to voice an interest in the 49ers, only to use them as leverage as the coaching circlces back to SF to hire Mangenius.

      cubus

      January 7, 2016 at 10:17 am

      Yep, but apparently, they can’t deny permission. I wonder what happens if they just decide not to respond or wait quite some time to respond.?

      1. One move by Jed (who if he knew anything about running a team, should have known) is to fire Trent Baalke ASAP and suddenly SF looks good to coaches.

        1. Analagous to the above was the 49er fan’s walk-out of Levi Stadium the last five games leaving Jed rotting hot dogs and non-profiting concessions.
          Jed then was forced to hire a brand-name head coach.
          Firing Baalke would allow coaches to take Jed and the 49ers seriously as a place to work–careerwise.

    1. She sure is. I’m sending the link to my wife who’s computer is about 16′ from mine.

      1. Tom according to Dave Fleming Shaw isn’t turning down the 49ers he is turning down the NFL.

        1. Correcting or informing TomD or at least one other is pointless, but I understand the urge. :-}

  41. Would anyone object if they brought in Lovie Smith? He’s never won a championship, but he’s brought a couple teams out of the gutter and made them competitive. I’d think he’d be a good fit. He’s well respected and coordinators and players both like and want to work for him.

        1. The 49ers need help on offense. Lovie is a defensive coach. And while he is a good coach his defensive scheme doesn’t really fit with the 49ers personnel.

    1. 49erGirl Thats a name i had not thought of. He hasn’t won a SB but he did get his team there. I haven’t heard his name mentioned for any job I wonder if he isn’t interested in getting back into the grind?

    2. FYI:

      2 years ago the 49er coaching caravan was turned down by several head coaches who said they wished to remain in colleges, ignored the 49ers, or went to other teams–it’s a documented fact….If an offer is decent coaches will come. However if a team does this:

      Then 49ers executives bragged to national reporters about strafing Kaepernick so badly on that deal, which is so typical of the York front office.

      T. Kawakami, above article

    3. 49erGirl,

      They could do worse than Lovie Smith, but he would not be a sexy hire that’s for sure. He has a history of fielding pretty good teams that are based on defense and the cover 2, with middling offenses and that’s not what we are looking for imo. I don’t think the cover two fits this personnel right now either.

      1. You and Jack make good arguments against the hire. I don’t know that much about him, but appreciate what success he’s had.

        Worse case scenario, he’s better than Tomsula…but so are most other qualified candidates :-)

  42. If we can’t have Gruden, Shaw or Payton we should settle for Holmgrem he would be the best available.

  43. NCAA signing day is February 3. The 49ers will announce David Shaw as their new head coach on February 5.

    1. Hammer, you never shy away from the bold prediction. If it’s like your Gabbert prediction, there’ll probably be a 2 to 3 year delay before Shaw comes on board :)

    2. Nice prediction. It would be a great choice.
      However, my prediction is Mark Helfrich, who coached up Mariota and may be just the guy to renovate Kaep. He is young, ambitious, and hopefully starving to achieve greatness. Leaving Oregon would allow Chip to regain his position where he was the king and best suited for his temperament.

        1. Tom ..

          Did you spill a milkshake on your keyboard .. or sump tin ?

          (Yer caps lock seems to be stuck)

  44. It’s Not just me who has counte 3 turn-downs:

    TANK: So Payton, Gase and Shaw say no. Shanahan says sit tight. Holmgren and Kelly want to be here, but won’t.

    49er webzone

  45. If Mama York sees that San Francisco has become a team the good coaches scorn, maybe she’ll send Little Lord Fauntleroy away to manage one of her Burger King stores. That’s the one hope I have for this franchise.

    1. I’m at Burger King with my laptop???

      Thanks for dropping this one one me, George….Is it wrong to like their BK Broilers?

      1. Do you know if the York’s periodically change the vat of boiling grease so the French Fries stay fresh?
        I’ve heard of some franchises in the new who skim the profits by rarely to never changing it, so it becomes sort of an axle grease.

        1. Ask JimmyT, he’s picking up a Little Caesar’s franchise. I think they recycle BK grease and make pizza cheese.

          1. Dear Cassie Baalke,

            Thanks to you and George I now find myself upchucking beside the roadway, thinking the York’s have caused me ill health–both financial and dietary.
            Here’s hoping a bottle of Martinell’s sparkling cider helps the cause.

    2. Denise sings…

      Don’t cry for me 9er-nation
      The truth is I never left you
      All through our dark days
      Jeb’s sad existence
      I kept my promise
      Don’t keep your distance

    1. The Packers will not fire McCarthy. Fucillo asks the question and then proceeds to list the reasons why it would be stupid to do so. You don’t fire a HC who you have won a SB with and who is one year removed from taking the team to within a botched onside kick of another one. I understand Fucillo and Prime before him being hopeful of having a chance to hire him, but GB is not that stupid.

      1. If he fails in the first round, my opinion that may be challenged by anybody, is that he may be on the hot seat, especially if they lose badly. If GB makes it to the NFCCG, then my opinion is he will be safe.

  46. This is interesting from Barrows:

    “Where will Colin Kaepernick land if the 49ers part ways with him before April 1? One spot to keep an eye on: Wherever Hue Jackson ends up.

    The Bengals offensive coordinator was an unabashed Kaepernick proponent before the 2011 draft when he was head coach of the Raiders. Hue HEART Colin. In fact, Jackson said he ranked Kaepernick as the top quarterback in that draft class — ahead of Cam Newton, Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert, Christian Ponder and the quarterback he now coaches, Andy Dalton. All of those players were taken ahead of Kaepernick, whom the 49ers grabbed with the fourth pick in the second round that year.

    “We wanted the kid in the worst way,” Jackson told Sports Illustrated’s Peter King in 2013.”

    Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/article53483645.html#storylink=cpy

    1. Yeah, it’s possible. But my view is more positive. I think Baalke wanted Gase last year and Jed effectively nixed it in favor of Tomsula. Now Jed has publicly stated he will not get in the way of the HC search (words to that effect), so candidates might view that more positively.

    2. They don’t want to work for the franchise. Baalke is part of it. He has a bad reputation. He’s controlling and overbearing. His ability to evaluate talent is questionable. The other part of the problem is that Jed and Trent aren’t viewed as trustworthy people, even when they have extremely successful coaching. It’s just not a great situation.

  47. If a coach publicly announces that he is interested in the 49ers Head Coach position, does that automatically mean he is a bad coach? I don’t get this bizarre line of thinking at all?

    Perhaps he is desperate for a job…so what??…that still doesn’t mean that he won’t do well….

    If a guy applies for a job and states that he is very interested in working for that company should that guy be automatically rejected???

    1. Forget outstanding. Would any head coach candidate, given the York’s record, choose to work for them if said coach has a better opportunity?

      The York record is that they have fired all their coaches, including the only two that got the team to the playoffs. In addition, there is no football experience in their management structure above GM, and the player personnel seems to be in a downward trend.

      Will candidates who have other options use the 49ers for leverage? Of course they will.

      If Jed insists on a top candidate that also helps with his bad press, he might have to fire Baalke to get that candidate.

      The game is on Watson!

        1. As our beloved Yoda said long ago (and a place far away)…”Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future..”

  48. BigP

    I repeat BigP for you…He summed the situation up best…
    And, as all realize, the sum of all parts equals one whole (organization) and the candidates are leveraging Jed nicely.

    January 7, 2016 at 1:25 pm

    They don’t want to work for the franchise. Baalke is part of it. He has a bad reputation. He’s controlling and overbearing. His ability to evaluate talent is questionable. The other part of the problem is that Jed and Trent aren’t viewed as trustworthy people, even when they have extremely successful coaching. It’s just not a great situation.

    1. Also,

      As was posted earlier, candidates know Harbaugh is a phone call away for their front office assessments.

    1. Either that or they’re making it his last season and giving him some love.
      No question Bowman was the mvp this year. My bet is you won’t see him kick for us again

  49. Was listening to Brent Jones on KNBR earlier this week on Mr T show. I like their extension of Jimmy T to Jedi Y. I am not sure if it was Tommy T or Ratty R who made the point that coaches may be unsure of taking the Niners job because Baalke is in the last year of his contract and not in secure position. What if Baalke is fired a new GM in and wanted to bring his own man?

    If the Niners can attract any of their top choices for the position, then maybe Jedi Y should fire Baalke. It’s never too late to do get fired even after Black MOnday, as Lovie would remind us.

    1. Does anyone sense they’re in a coaching search time warp machine, dodging death star rays, and as the supernova explodes, Jed and Trent are the only ones left standing?

      1. Well, I’m sensing something more like the movie Titanic. Jed is the company CEO who slips off into a lifeboat. Tomsula was the poor Captain who was lost as the bridge went under. Trent is the officer with the pistol, firing warning shots. Seb is the extra who bounces of an exposed propeller after falling off the stern…

          1. Cassie Baalke,

            Careful, Seb may be delusional as well

            sebnynah

            January 7, 2016 at 2:53 pm

            Now they are making up songs about me. I really must dominate their psyche. They really need to think it through…..

            1. TrollD, Thank you for mentioning me again. Now I will get to respond. I see you put a troll on me. Gadfly is so appropriate. Did not think that I pose such a threat that I am receiving all this attention. Previously I would relish the monumental verbal battles that ensued, but now, the Niners really are not relevant enough to take all that time. When they were battling for a SB, it was great fun to wax eloquent on the team, but this putrid excrement is distasteful. Go ahead, have your fun, it is a huge waste of time and effort, but a person has to cling to their ideals and dreams. Go ahead, try harder. I laugh at your feeble attempts to be witty.
              This is not my first rodeo. Go ahead and engage me. I have put up month long fights before they give up and leave me alone. Notice that many regulars leave me assiduously alone, because they finally realize that arguing against me is futile. I have driven arguments where they start sputtering and argue against themselves. O course, once they devolve into hurling expletives, I just declare victory because I made them lose their composure.
              Getting back to your posts, I really try hard not to read them, but you post so prolifically, it is hard not to notice what you spew. I notice you have parroted my reasons why the Niners are a bad team and Baalke has to go. However, they know my optimistic loyal faithful background and allow me to vent my frustrations.
              You however, have been branded as a Niner hater, who rejoices in schadenfreude when the team loses, and never predicts a victory. I see you have an ally in Cassie. You deserve each other. I have come to the realization that she is a plant, just by her posts.
              Lets review last game. I predicted the Niners would win 13-12. They won 20-17. Missed the exact score by 12 points. Oh well, at least I predicted the correct winner. I was hearkened to see that they actually ran the no huddle with quick snaps. I said that they should do that to prevent them from substituting and maybe catch them with 12 men on the field.
              Hmm. They had a 12 man penalty that made that third down less than third and long? What an amazing coincidence that I should write that and see it happen on the field. Of course, only Jed reads these blogs, so the Niner coaches were clueless about this.
              TrollD, Please try harder, I feel bad about engaging with an unarmed foe. Keep bringing up my name so I can unleash upon you.
              Have a nice day.

              1. Seb — Why should Jed, coaches, or players read your posts when they can simply read your thoughts? Aside from showing narcissistic qualities, you’re quite telepathic. I can understand your sense of self-righteousness when you see a play unfold exactly as you called it. They were tuned in–except when they’re not. In those circumstances they “shoot themselves in the foot”–only one foot now, the other shot away long ago. This board would be one dimensional without you. We need someone to anchor the curiously delusional end of the bell curve. We thank you for your service in that regard. Please keep swinging!

              2. Oh, Cassie, you seem to want to try my patience, so I will indulge you. When I write things, and then see them happen, I get to crow about it. Maybe I say a lot, so the law of averages are in my favor, and of course, I do not crow about my failures, I let posters like you do that for me.
                Still, when I write repeatedly that they need to stop shooting themselves in the foot, then hear that phrase repeated by the players, coaches, and even Brent Jones, I can claim attribution. If they said they need to stop the unforced errors, or mental mistakes or brain cramps, maybe some other poster had influenced their phrasing.
                Many posters will recognize what I wrote, so when I point out that the Niners ran the no huddle with quick snaps, they do not discount the fact that I have postulated that scheme until they are begging me to stop repeating myself. Maybe they are just resigned to seeing futility, so that anything different is better than the boring predictable Niner offense.
                The good thing about these Blogs is their archives, so any past posting can be retrieved, and I am sure I have some past posts that are off by a mile. I also do not claim they always use my posts, because many times they ignore my advice. Like in the 2013 NFCCG. In that, 2 days before that game, I said Kaep should face one way, while looking in another direction. Too bad he did not follow my advice, he would have seen 2 wide open players.

              3. “I thought to myself, ‘I am wiser than this man: neither of us knows anything that is really worthwhile, but he thinks he has knowledge when he has not, while I, having no knowledge, do not think that I have. I seem, at any rate, to be a little wiser than he is on this point I do not think that I know what I do not know’.”

                -The Gadfly of Athens

              4. ‘I do not think that I know what I do not know’- Gadfly, you must be related to another antagonist who wrote;
                ‘One does not have to be stupid to display stupidity.’

      1. OK, so Ratty R was wrong :) Baalke may haunt the draft board and moonlight as a DB coach for two more seasons or more!

        1. Well, I think he is on the hot seat. If the bring in even a medium-sized fish it will be a $25 to $30 million contract. Whereas Baalke would only cost I think around $5 million, if his contract is guaranteed, after the 2016 campaign. If anyone goes it would most likely be Baalke. I can’t see Jed buying a HC out two years in a row.

      2. Jed is relying on Baalke to make all the football decisions, select a HC, sign free agents, draft players, negotiate contracts and juggle the salary cap, but Baalke cannot even remember how long his contract runs?

  50. In response to a question about CS that might be kept, Barrows had this to say during his chat session:

    “It will be up to the new coach. A few years ago when Harbaugh was hired, the team strongly suggested he retain Jim Tomsula and Tom Rathman and he did. I don’t think there are any no-touch guys this go around although Rathman always is a keeper (especially after a season in which he quickly coached up a slew of newcomers) and that the team was very happy with what QBs coach Steve Logan did with Gabbert.”

    I found the comment about Logan interesting. I actually wanted Logan to call a few games there at the end of the season. Why not?

    1. Why not? Maybe because the job belonged to someone else at the time, unless they fired the OC.

        1. Logan was standing on the sidelines when Kaep threw those 2 pick sixes on his first 2 throws. The coaching did not include the words- Do not throw it to the opposition.

            1. I wouldn’t go as far as calling him a turd. He has regressed the last couple years. A lot of different reasons why. Apparently your memory is very bad about what kind of talent kaep was. You need to wrap your head around kaep being the QB next year especially if Hue or Chip get the job. Believe it.

              1. Don’t see it happening. The contract alone is why they won’t bring #7 back. You can’t pay a guy 12 million a year if he can’t read a defense rebuild a winner!

              2. “Apparently your memory is very bad about what kind of talent kaep was.”

                The key word in your above sentence is “was”. I remember that quite well. Kaepernick took the NFL by storm in his first 1 1/2 seasons. Unfortunately the league caught up with him and he couldn’t make the necessary adjustments. I’d compare it to a pitcher who just blows everyone away his first year or so and then the opposition catches on and just starts raking him around the yard because his overall skill set is limited.

              3. Don’t see it happening. The contract alone is why they won’t bring #7 back. 

                They may not have a choice Prime because Kaepernick needs to be able to pass a physical to be traded or released, and the odds of him being able to do so before April 1 are very slim.

              4. I highly doubt that. Those were minor procedures on the knee and thumb.
                Pretty sure we have seen the last of him in a Niners uniform. A new coach, a new QB in the draft. Start the rebuild the right way. This CK back with the Niners is all media driven.

              5. I think the amount of surgeries in such a short amount of time suggests he is anxious to be healthy as quickly as possible so he can move on through a trade or free agency….

              6. Gee, Jack, maybe you should have said one cant make a silk purse out of a sows’ ear.
                The turd reference was pretty direct, no matter how much you disavow it.

              7. Yes, he’s anxious to get healthy…but also not against prolonging his recovery time past April 1st..

              8. Not sure why he would not be ready by April? Regardless how does this put the 49ers on the hook to keep him? Someone will trade for him. What we don’t know is for what.
                My understanding is if they keep him then the contract kicks in till 2020 at 12 million a year.Why would the Niners handcuff themselves on a product that isn’t any good or worth the risk?

              9. I’m not under the impression Kaepernick wants anything more to do with the 49ers after the Fallout from the Harbaughcalypse….

              10. Prime Time are you the only one who reads this blog who doesn’t know that the April 1 decision point applies to each and every year of Kaepernick’s contract?

                That happens be be why Kaepernick was criticized by some NFL players for signing such a team friendly contract.

              11. You’re obviously still not understanding Prime. The three months that it’ll take for Kaepernick to recover (barring any unforeseen setbacks) places the date after April 1.

              12. Word from Barrows is that Kap wants out. Couldn’t 49ers and Kap agree on an injury settlement if that’s the best way to have him move on.

      1. After what “quarterback gurus” Harbaugh, Whitfield, Chryst, Giles, Warner did with Kaep…

  51. Chud staying with Colts (Rotoworld):

    Colts retained Rob Chudzinski as offensive coordinator. “Chud” replaced Pep Hamilton in Week 9. The Colts averaged just 18.8 points per game on Chud’s watch — compared to 21.6 with Hamilton — but it was due in large part to Andrew Luck missing the season’s final seven games. Chudzinski has generally had success as an NFL play-caller, helping to launch Cam Newton’s career while making lemons out of lemonade with the supremely untalented 2013 Cleveland Browns. He should help revive a unit that underachieved as it was gutted by injuries this season.

  52. The more I am studying Chip, the more I think he may be the right choice. I am thinking that he can fix the offense, by fixing Kaep. Even if Kaep stays injured, he can go with Gabbert because both have strong arms and are mobile enough to elude the pass rushers.They both can use their legs to make first downs.
    Both Kaep and Gabbert are QBs whose skillsets match the offensive schemes and philosophy of Chips’, something Chip was lacking in Philly. It is telling that Baalke has not scheduled an interview, because as a Parcels disciple, he is not enamored with the quick spread multi option attack.
    Baalke may still go with Chip because he is afraid of both Shanahan and Holmgren. Both those guys will tell Jed that Baalke is the problem, and the Niners will not get better until he leaves. Both those guys have the coaching gravitas to command Jed’s respect.
    Baalke struck out with Payton because Payton is too smart to come here.

    1. Jed afraid? Chip looks like a rabid closet monster–could be too scary for Jed. Now if Chip looked like George Clooney…

  53. Ian Rapoport ‏@RapSheet 6h6 hours ago
    #49ers LB coach Clancy Pendergast will be the #USC defensive coordinator (again), source said.

  54. Per Matt Maiacco, Chip Kelly interviewed with Niners today. For those who are SO certain kaep is gone are going to be disappointed. Hue to interview Sunday.

    1. What you fail to realize is that any new HC coming in is taking a chance on guy who has major flaws while only setting himself up for failure.
      The smarter route is to draft and develop his own. I think you are speaking and basing your prediction on being a fan of #7. That’s admirable while also foolish!

      1. Negative. I just see the situation a lot more clearly then you. Kaep whether you like it or not is the perfect QB in a Chip Kelly offense. He is a much more talented version of Mariota. Why do you think he reached out to the Niners? Has a better arm is faster then Mariota. Has won in the playoffs. You can still draft and develop a QB but it will not be in the first rnd if Kelly gets the job I can guarantee you that. It’s not foolish it’s just logical IF he becomes the coach.

          1. You mean the guy who he helped get fired in philly so he would have more personal power?

    2. A blue Chip with a Chip on his shoulder. A bargaining Chip ready to cash in. Chip in and let the Chips fall where they may and pray he isn’t a cow Chip….

      1. An extremely poor decision. Even if the deal would have been straight up instead of giving up a 2nd Round pick, he didn’t prove to be worth $8 million more than Foles….

          1. If you think for one second that Kaep is not one of the main reasons why he wants this job your clueless.

            1. You might be right, but Barrows is saying it is unlikely Kap wants to stay. In an article about Jackson and Kap:

              “Jackson – or any new coach – would have to be exceedingly persuasive to bring back Kaepernick, who wants out.

              Kaepernick’s beef doesn’t appear to be with the outgoing coaching staff but with the still-intact front office that didn’t hold up its end of the bargain when Kaepernick signed a multiyear contract, as far as finding ways to keep free agents such as wide receiver Michael Crabtree, guard Mike Iupati and running back Frank Gore. And the fact that Kaepernick is having a checklist of surgeries in Colorado strongly suggests he’s miffed with how the team handled his injuries.”

              Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/article53483645.html#storylink=cpy

              1. Kaep figured out it was Baalke who is the leaker, since Jed just said it was not in his best interest to leak.
                When Jed decided to fire Tomsula, there were 3 people in the room. Jed, John York and Baalke. Since Jed said he would part ways with anyone who leaks, he needs to fire Baalke.

              2. There’s big difference between Alex and Kap during their respective coaching transitions. Alex had already began to turn his career around before Harbaugh arrived in the second half of the previous season.

                Alex had shown steady mental and emotionally maturity despite playing in extremely adverse, even hostile, coaching circumstances under the hugely incompetent Nolanterry-Hostler regime.

                Kap had been nurtured by Harbaugh and his staff for 1.5 seasons before starting. He has had a better supporting cast (although both were lacking in a solid receiver corps). Yet, to me, he showed very inadequate development (football intelligence, leadership qualities and emotional maturity). It’s not because Kap is not a good worker or doesn’t work hard. But as my boss says, our customers don’t pay us for how hard we try solving their problems — they judge us by results we produce.

                I really like both Alex and Kap, but I don’t see Kap ever growing into a franchise QB role under any coach. He pretty much will be who he is.

              3. Well said Mood. Coming into this season it was imperative that Kap learn how to play effectively from the pocket. He went to AZ in an attempt to do that and yet looked worse than ever this past season. He doesn’t seem comfortable or natural playing from that position, and I see no way a QB can have long term success unless he develops the ability to play from there. You don’t have to be great, but you have to make a defense at least respect your ability to do it. It saddens me because Kap’s talent is immense, but he just doesn’t seem to be able to grasp the nuances of playing QB at the pro level.

              4. Thanks, Rocket.
                Kap has had basically the same offense now for more than 4 seasons. By this stage I’d have expected him to be in complete command of the playbook. Yet his QBR ratings have consistently fluctuated from game to game year after year.

                I draw a parallel with the Stanford QBs (Harbaugh and Shaw’s playbooks there are comparable in complexity to NFL playbooks).First Luck and then Hogan slowly gained mastery of the playbook and by Luck’s third season, and Hogan’s fourth, they were not only calling plays at LoS but actually leading classroom drills on protection schemes, etc. in preparation for the games with the coaches watching on.

                Kap gave me the impression that he did not sufficiently study the opponent’s tapes to sufficiently dissect the coverage schemes and tendencies. I could be wrong.

  55. Antony Davis is having fun, messing with everyone’s heads, tweeting whatever he feels life.

    Q: Would you play for Chip Kelly?
    AD: I played for Greg Schiano and Jim Harbaugh, I can play for anyone.
    One is a good Coach and one is a Great coach, both a++holes. They may feel the same about me, that’s fair. Either way, we won together.

    Q: Have you reached out to the team about this yet?
    AD: I’m just hoping they read my mind. (tweet removed 9:30pm)

    1. Another deleted AD tweet via Ryan Sakamoto “I know Trent thinks I’m the biggest a++hole.”

      1. Those tweets are why I have said that he’ll most likely be traded.

        1. I’d be OK what that. AD would be great to have back, but how can you build a roster with someone so unpredictable?

          Trading the rights to AD + a draft pick (7 or 36) to move up could be enticing for teams needing an OT.

          Again… these are not true to draft value chart because the value of top picks varies greatly year to year.

          1. AD, with his CTE issues, is untradable. Niners should keep AD, but rotate in Brown frequently so AD can take less hits and rest between series. AD will not be worn down and Brown can get good experience.

            1. Seb,

              You mean concussion issues, not CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) issues, correct? CTE is currently not definitively diagnosable antemortem.

              Here is a straightforward article on some current research in brain imaging techniques that may help diagnose CTE antemortem (http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/ucla-study-finds-characteristic-pattern-of-protein-deposits-in-brains-of-retired-nfl-players-who-suffered-concussions), but as of yet CTE diagnosis is confined to postmortem examination of cerebral structure.

              The most interesting aspect of the current CTE literature regards the presence of Tau protein tangles in CTE impacted brains (postmortem). Tau tangles are common in Alzheimers and non-Alzheimers dementia, and in healed micro neurological traumas. They are uncommon in healed major neurological traumas, however. It is still not clear whether the tangles are deleterious in-and-of-themselves or are a product of the brain attempting to recover from degenerative pathologies and/or minor traumatic pathologies, but their presence seems to be always concurrent with some pathology.

              What is interesting is that the TAU tangles in CTE brains are mainly frontal lobe and in the temporal poles. These are areas impacted by brain hitting the frontal and temporal bones of the skull when the head stops but the brain continues forward. The micro traumas that occur from such impacts do not manifest many of the common concussion symptoms, such as dizziness and ocular effects, which are a product of parietal/occipital lobe impact on the back of the skull (this is from the brain hitting the front of the skull so hard that it bounces back and impacts the back of the skull). It is possible, if the presence of the Tau tangles in CTE brains is not just concurrent pathology and given that Tau tangles appear consequent of micro trauma not major trauma, that CTE is not caused by the concussions that the NFL is currently monitoring, but from impacts that have little to no overt symptomology

              1. Precise, again, but I am just lazy, and it is easier to type CTE than spell out Concussion. The important thing is that you will still associate CTE with concussion issues because of that documentary or movie.
                I want to prevent more players from a CTE fate, and discussing concussion issues need to be done. Hiding and ignoring the problem will just make it worse.
                In a football game, every down lineman will suffer enough of a shock on almost every snap to consider that action as a concussive effect. The repetition will exacerbate the problem, and the cumulative effects are very dangerous. If a player who is suffering the effects of a concussion is hit again, it may not be a hard blow, but it could have fatal implications. Sometimes the player is so impaired, he does not understand the seriousness of the problem, and his slowness will allow that damaging blow.
                No matter what, the NFL is negligent when they do not do brain scans before the season to establish a baseline. The NFL is complicit when they schedule games with only 3 days rest just because they want to make more money.
                Sir, I stand corrected, and will use CONCUSSION henceforth.

              1. And don’t weave a TAU tangled weave…. I get a concussion just reading the stuff late on Friday.

    2. I hope they take brain scans before the season, during the season and after the season.
      Then maybe they can read his mind.

      1. Seb,
        They always took brain scans of players on the sidelines. It was called “how many fingers do you see?”

        1. AES, yup, they put up their middle finger to the players, and used both hands for 2 fingers.

  56. Jason La Canfora “49ers began considering Chip, and finalizing decision to fire Tomsula, middle of last week. Couldn’t agree on Payton compensation.”

    The leaker (who ever that may be) is busy tonight.

    1. Jed said he would fire the leaker, but he forgot that there is one leaker that can’t be fired – Jed.

      Saying that there is no one leaking in the front office is like saying Harbaugh asked to leave, and Jed want’s to be held personally accountable.

      Nothing has changed in the front office structure, and I’ll feel very fortunate to be around if and when things do change.

  57. Maiocco reports the 49ers already interviewed Anthony Lynn. They can pull the trigger on a new HC any time. I hope its Sunday after they interview Jackson.

    1. If Sean Payton wanted to come to the 49ers, a hairy trigger could have been pulled. It’s just a $500,000 fine. What’s that compared to $14 million?

      1. Is the half million fine for Rooney Rule violation? If so, think the bad publicity could be worse than the cash.

            1. I’m not aware of any such forfeiture. The Lions hired Mariucci without adhering to the Rooney rule and were only fined $200,000. No draft pick was taken….

              1. I might be mixing it up with the tampering with a player penalty.

            2. NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue publicly reprimanded the Lions and fined the team $200,000 for conduct detrimental to the league. Tagliabue sent an unmistakable message by declaring that the next violator will face a $500,000 fine. 14 Since the NFL never formally identified the range of potential sanctions when/if a team violates the Rooney Rule, it is not clear whether the Commissioner can or would levy non-monetary sanctions (e.g., the loss of draft picks) in addition to monetary sanctions for further Rooney Rule violations.

  58. I think York did admit to it being a short list so I’d expect a decision shortly after the Jackson interview….

    1. Makes sense. So far they’ve interviewed Shanahan (phone), Kelly, Lynn. Jackson coming up Sunday. Am I missing anyone?

  59. Fangio shut out Kelly’s offense in 2014

    The Eagles 21 points all came from defense or special teams. Fang had Kelly’s number. His straightforward (yet assignment disciplined) defense stopped Kelly’s offense cold.

  60. Dude, you are spot on. I agree 100% with you. All these loser candidates don’t even deserve an interview. We need Shaw or Gruden. Those are the only two coaches that I would accept.

        1. Dang. I thought it was my-‘ As long as Devey is starting, they may not win another game’- prediction.

      1. All you need is 100% touchdowns with perfect extra point after conversions. And one more possession than the other guys.

        It would be better if the GM found two dozen future Hall of Fame players right away.

    1. Every guy on the defensive roster has to be a high aerobic gifted starter so that they can rotate the full defensive squad every drive. Or they have to be so good that Brady, Rogers, Wilson, Palmer and every other offense that they play does a historic number of three and outs.

  61. I hope at least thay we get Jackson as HC or a decent OC as Schottenheimer who is available at runs a sort of WCO with vertical concepts and uses a lot 11,12,21 and 22(remember Patriots with Gronk and Hernandez) personnel.

  62. Have there been any other teams showing interest in Kelly? It seems that he is making all the contacts to open HC positions not the other way around.

    With the negative press coming on the heels of his dismissal in Philly, Kelly may not be a slam-dunk hire among the league talkingheads.

    Hue Jackson seems to be the odds on favorite (imo) unless the FO was blown away by any of the recent interviewees.
    1. Hue Jackson
    2. Chipper Kelly
    Top two coaches of interest.

    1. 4 reasons he is not
      1. He will have to take a pay cut.
      2. He will have to work 10 times harder than he does now.
      3. He would be competing against his brother.
      4. Jon Gruden denies the interest. It would take having a fire in his belly instead of having a beer belly.

      1. 2. He will have to work 10000000 times harder than he does now.

        That’s the reason they don’t. The successful head coaches in this league put in nearly 60+ hours a week during the season and still work 40 hours a week in the off season. That’s not an exaggeration.

        1. One of the earliest signs the team should have seen to avoid Singletary was that he refused to work extra hours because he thought spending time with the family was more important. I’m not going to argue the merit of that I’ll just repeat what I said above; the successful head coaches in this league work 60+ hours a week.

  63. I found this to be a very interesting read. Neumann is usually spot on with his assessments. He seems to think that Chip Kelly would be a good coach for the 49ers:

    “All indications point to Kelly wanting to stay in the NFL and some team will be willing to give him that chance. If San Francisco is smart, they will give serious consideration to making the 49ers that team.”

    He attempts to debunk the following myths about Kelly:

    1) Chip can’t manage and connect with professional players
    2) Chip’s offense is gimmicky and NFL defenses have caught on
    3) Chip’s up-tempo philosophy puts his defense at an inherent disadvantage

    The last one is interesting because he cites DVOA statistics to support the idea that Chip’s defenses actually played better in the second half of games in every season that he was the HC of the Eagles. Also, the increase in snaps that the Eagles defense played versus an average NFL defense over the past three seasons was only 5 to 7 snaps per game.

    http://www.ninersnation.com/2016/1/8/10733232/49ers-head-coach-search-myth-busting-top-concerns-about-chip-kelly

    1. I think Hue will take one of the other 6 HC openings before he would consider the Niners since he would have to coach against Seattle and Arizona twice a year.
      I would accept Chip, but hopes he convinces Mark Helfrich to come to the Niners so he can go back to Oregon where he belongs.
      Niners should show some class and ask Lovie Smith to interview. He did coach up Winston last season.
      I almost hope Shanahan might come here because he would shake things up, and maybe get Baalke fired.
      Holmgren would be my choice to get back to the Glory Years, since he was part of them.

    2. Cubus

      I’ve watch Chips’s Oregon teams ever since he took over (recall Harbaugh’s Stanford had a “Oregon problem”). He’s not just a good strategist but also a good in-game tactician. During his two years at Stanford, I think Greg Roman picked up some tips from Chipster. I think Chip and Roman are two most innovative run play designers in the NFL now. But Chip creates the better mismatches.

      Chips has some interpersonal issues and some personnel issues. He thinks he has the perfect system in place, and he can get rid of any player who doesn’t toe the line and can replace him with anyone in the FA market available for any price. May work in college but not in the NFL. If he has learnt his lesson then he will be likely near the top of the newer crop head coaches in the NFL.

    3. I’m conflicted when it comes to Kelly. While he has been very successful both in College and his first year in the NFL, his offenses productivity declined sharply over his 3 years in Philly. We can say it’s the personnel, but the scheme has to be looked at objectively too. The relationships with players and effects of his system on his own defense are concerns too, but not as much as his offenses ability to hold up long term imo.

      This hire has to be viewed as a long term deal. You can’t change Coaches every couple of years and expect to win, so the guy they pick has to have staying power and I’m not sure Kelly fits that description.

      1. “his offenses productivity declined sharply over his 3 years in Philly.”

        It did? They actually increased in points per game from year 1 to year 2, both 10-6 seasons. 2015 was the first that saw a drop.

        2013 – 27.6 ppg, 2014 – 29.6, 2015 – 23.6

        “effects of his system on his own defense are concerns too”

        The only season that the numbers were really skewed was 2013 when their D was on the field for 96 snaps more than the offense. It improved the last 2 seasons. In 2014 they ran 14 plays more than their opponents, and this season they ran only 45 plays less than the opponents.

        The Eagles downfall came from a defense that gave up an increasing number of points each season, 23.9, 25.0, 26.9, and a decrease in turnover +/-, +12, -12, -5.

        1. From David Neumann’s article above:

          There’s also the notion that NFL defensive coordinators have caught on to Kelly’s tricks, but it’s more likely that is an overreaction to one poor season. Philadelphia had the third-best offense in football during Kelly’s first season with the Eagles. Kelly’s sophomore effort saw a step back to 13th in offensive DVOA, but that can be largely attributed to significant injuries at quarterback and along the offensive line after finishing 2013 as the league’s healthiest team.

          As I said declined sharply over his 3 years. From year one to year 3 there was a big drop off. There was a decline in DVOA his second season, but Neumann is passing that off to injuries. I’m not, as the trend continued this past season.

          I’m not saying it would be a disaster to hire Kelly. I’m saying I have concerns and am not convinced he would be the best choice.

          1. I didn’t read the article and don’t pay much attention to DVOA. The Eagles were 10-6 in back to back seasons with the points being slightly higher so there isn’t any drop off offensively in the most important stats until this past year.

  64. Thanx, Cubus…

    good read ..but.. I dunno ..

    on the one hand.. you’ve got the
    old school advocates …
    Shanny, and Holmgren …

    While.. there’s much to be said for
    and against .. experience …
    and the fact.. they’re both
    from the Bill Walsh tree ..

    I just ..dunno !

    And on the other hand .. you’ve
    got all the other camps …
    Jackson, Chip Kelly, and all the rest …

    and still I dunno !

    I do know this, though ..

    I wouldn’t wanna be ..

    Cassie’s Daddy, right about now

  65. When I win the $800 million powerball I’m gonna host a draft party for the blog. I’ll fly in Razor and Scooter, first class. Well Scooter will get first class, I’ll send a pet carrier for Razor. :) j/k

            1. Puff, puff, and proud of it. While clearing out a culvert for a client, I had 10 cars stop and give me heartfelt thanks because that section of road always floods. This is God’s country, where the super patriots can coexist with the Women in Black. I am also a disciple of Luther Burbank who had a farm here.

  66. Problem with your ideas is that these guys may fail , but the miners are now going to the York way, going for nobody’s on the cheap. They are interviewing deflippo, the oc for the miserable Browns. Guess people are saying the 49ers are dumpster diving for coaches again. Others say they are looking for a oc for the new coach. Either idea is more 49er lunacy. If everyone else like shaw gace etc.. Give them the finger they go with another wannabe with no experience that no one wants didn’t work after mooch and won’t after harbaugh. If they think they assist getting someone’s staff together they should have kept Tomsula, think Jackson Kelly holmgren, Shanahan will put up with another management rat like they did with harbaugh? ( keeping Tomsula) if their that desperate or stupid , we will lose anyway. In any scenario this looks like a typical fubar of York size demensions! But celebrate….it means the 2nd stooge, parcels mini me will be gone. Fans will cheer!

    1. Depending on the team and G.M. and small part of the interview process is to gleam information about other teams and organizations. Interviewing is also a great way to expand your own knowledge by picking many different brains on a similar subject.

        1. fagetaboutit.. CFC ..

          Gran’t doesn’t respond to any
          of our … pleas ..

          for an “edit” button

    1. George:

      Did you copy my post from above :)

      I think everyone should read this article because there’s a good chance Kelly might be our next coach.

      1. cubus, no I didn’t. Sorry for repeating your post. I always try to see what’s been posted, but sometimes I miss it or don’t have the time. I agree 100% that it is a very good article. I am starting to get optimistic. It’s funny how emotions go. Logically I know this franchise will never be solid because the ownership treats it as a business first. The stadium proves that, for anyone who thinks otherwise. Also, they do not understand football, as Jed foolishly admitted at the press conference, Did you notice that? Jed is a total dumbs–t. Although I know that, at the same time I have started to think that if they bring in an offensive mind like Kelly or Jackson and if they use their cap money to fill in what they need on offense and defense, we could get really good quickly and watching games could get to be fun again. These are two big ifs, however, although the biggest proponent of doing so should be Baalke. Next year is huge for him. It’s reach the playoffs or he’s gone, it appears at least. But who knows with Jed? When it comes to his public statements, he’s as big a liar as most politicians.

        1. George:

          Just my whacky sense of humor. CFC can vouch that I once posted the exact same article that had been posted two posts above mine. It was just interesting that we both framed our posts by citing the three major points of the article.

          I did notice that you were becoming more positive and I’m glad to see that. With regards to Jed, I think it’s a step in the right direction that he is admitting that he doesn’t know much about football and appears to be getting out of the way. As for Baalke, I gotta believe he’s on notice. If they bring in a HC on a $25 to $35 million dollar contract he’s going to be around for at least a couple of years. At what I think is a much lower payout, Baalke would be the one to go if they don’t find some success this next year. I expect that after 2016, Jed will temper his goal from “Superbowl or Bust” to playoff contending team.

          1. No worries, I was embarrassed to see all the comments re the Neumann article that had already been posted.

          2. Given where the team is, I think contending to be in the playoffs is the most realistic goal. Being a playoff contender is too far in the future to think about now.

            If Baalke comes up with a 2016 draft and free agency period that looks like an improvement during the 2016 season, then he will most likely be here for the rest of his contract.

            I have no idea what it would take for Jed to actually try to build a more intelligent football structure for his money making stadium.

            1. They say one is a lonely number, but nine is a sign of better times by a team that struggles to win five….

            2. Htwaits

              I salute your acceptance that the playoffs in the next two years is exceptional….But we have earned the right to dream…maybe ‘one’ year ?

  67. If anybody still cares.

    ESPN’s Adam Caplan reports “at least two teams” have interest in former 49ers coach Jim Tomsula.
    Tomsula was unceremoniously fired after just one year at he 49ers head coach, but he is a well-respected position coach and defensive assistant. He should have no problem latching on somewhere this offseason.

      1. Good comment, GT. This is very true. They can’t hire him back as dline coach and pay him the rest of his HC salary too.

        1. Why not? Do you think it would upset the pay scale each year when JimmyT got his $3.5M bonus?

          But who would want to be the 49er HC with JimmyT in the room even if he never even hinted at peeping to the Yorks about Harbaugh?

  68. Anyone think there is a chance we bring on two HC caliber coaches. Like Kelly/Hue for HC and OC and then Lynn/Pettine AHC and DC??

      1. It’s going to be Kelly/DeFillippo as HC/OC

        You predicted Shaw would be named HC yesterday. You are getting as bad as Grant in changing your opinions ;)

          1. George,

            There’s only 1 Jack Hammer.

            My choice would be Shaw, he’s the only one that really would move the needle in my opinion.

            The scenario I wrote yesterday would make the most sense because it would allow for Shaw to get through recruiting and for the 49ers still to announce it during Super Bowl week prior to the weekend when big announcements are frowned upon by the NFL.

            Alas, getting Shaw is nothing but a pipe dream at this point. He’s too happy at Stanford and has no need for the meat grinder that is the NFL. My guess is give him about 5-6 years at which time his kids will be grown and he’s won a National Championship for his alma mater.

            1. Ok, I believe that you are the real Jack. And now that I have your attention, would you care to opine on why you think DeFillipo will be OC? Also, if Chip is the coach, do you think it really matters who the OC is? Wouldn’t the guy in that position in essence just relay Chip’s calls to the QB?

              1. Kelly tried to recruit DeFillipo to play QB when he was at New Hampshire so there is some working knowledge of each other.

                It matters who the OC is because any coach needs other strong coaches to bounce things off of in preparation for the games and during the games themselves. Jim Harbaugh had that guy in Greg Roman for example.

            2. C’mon Jack. I thought you were bold to predict Shaw. Stick with it.
              Miracles do happen.

      2. Ugh, just say “no” to Chip Kelly. No, No, No.

        He’s the Tim Tebow of coaches – will generate a lot of buzz when he comes in, but will eventually fail due to lack of execution (or in his case, lack of ability to lead a team of highly paid athletes).

        How are the 49ers going to strengthen the team in free agency or retain top talent if nobody wants to play for the HC because of the poor reputation he made for himself amongst players in Philly?

    1. No chance of that Andrew. Hue can’t leave for the same job he has in Cincy and wouldn’t want to anyway.

      I think if he’s willing, Hugh Jackson will be named HC after Sunday. He has two other interviews so it will be competitive but he’s the guy I think.

      1. We could do worse Rocket, do you think Goff is a lock with the Browns-CBS still sees him as the 49ers pick at seven unlikely as it seems?!

        1. hightop,

          It is the Browns so who really knows right? My guess is they will take a QB. The question is which one? I believe Goff is the best QB available, but somebody may prefer Lynch. If Goff is there at 7, the Niners would be nuts not to take him.

          1. Agreed ,alas both Cleveland and Dallas would be likely candidates to grab him first. If we land him at seven ,hallelujah!

  69. Anthony Davis weighing in on the potential of Kelly as HC is not good. This isn’t a guy who eats, sleeps and breathes football. This is a guy who IF the situation is to his liking he’s willing to grace us with his football abilities. If Kelly gets hired and Davis does actually come back you can expect the same outcome from him as we had in 2014. Complaints, non-committed play ending in a shortened injury plagued season. This is not a man with a passion to play football.

      1. told you he was a great big **ssy!!!
        He let grant get to him. He lost me then! He’s a quitter and is enjoying his money while his teammates are busting their a**es and getting stomped. Get this guy back have him look great for the first 4 games and trade his sorry a**!

    1. CFC – I’d trade the rights to AD if there are any takers. (assuming the rights to a “retired” player can be traded)

      He could sweeten the pot when it comes to trading picks 7 or 36. It could be conditional… “if AD plays less than x number of games, the 49ers give up a 2017 4th rounder.”

  70. Eric Branch
    ‏@Eric_Branch
    Odd: The #49ers coaches voted K Phil Dawson the team’s MVP; NaVorro Bowman was named first-team All-Pro.

    1. Matt Maiocco ‏@MaioccoCSN 22h22 hours ago
      Phil Dawson did a heck of a job this season. But…he attempted 48 FGs/PATs. NaVorro Bowman played 1,126 snaps and led NFL with 154 tackles.

    2. It may be time to think outside the box.

      The knowns: 1. Baalke has never drafted an impact player on offense, struggles with the WR position. 2. When Kap’s throwing mechanics were off, the 49ers, under Baalke’s MGMT. were informed by Chris Ault. 3. When Kap needed work he went to a player (Warner’s) football clinic because have no one in house who understands quarterback mechanics alone, period, let alone the mechanics involved in every pass pattern.

      Outside the Box thinking for the York’s: Rid yourself of Baalke. Get a power structure that includes a football man as President (invent another title for yourself, Jed). Chip Kelly has never drafted an NFL QB so we do not know if he’s capable of it.
      Finally, Draft The Clemson, Deshaun Watson. He’s completed 70% of his passes–Steve Young–like #’s–and he runs like Steve Young.
      Hire Mike Shannahan. The West Coast Offense is built for players like the next Steve Young (ie., Deshaun Watson)…Remember the Mike Singletary’s, Nolans, Jeff Hostler’s, Chrysts, etc., etc.

      1. *49ers have no one in house.

        **If the 49ers should manage create a power structure something like this:

        Hire Mike Shannahan + He hires Hue Jackson + Find Something for Mike Holmgren to do in your new president’s office Jed (since your inventing a new title for yourself).
        Use the experience of both Shannahan and Holmgren to find the next President.
        Between all 3, they should improve your team dramatically. Hue Jackson will be coach.

    3. Coaches voted for MVP the player who needed the least coaching and taxed their talents the least…

  71. Ian Rapoport ✔ @RapSheet
    The #49ers met with Chip Kelly yesterday, as @MaioccoCSN said. Today it’s #Browns OC John DeFilippo — more of an informational meeting.

    Fucillo thinks or is joking that the “information” is with regards to Manziel. If he comes ultra cheap, I’d sign him. If he starts his troublemaking again, he’d get the boot.

      1. You’re probably right. I was thinking as a camp body and then see where it goes from there.

        1. Sadly, both are talented but immature and with an addiction problem. Aldon may be salvageable, but Johnny Tequila won’t last in the league much longer.

          1. He’s still young. At some point he may get it if for no other reason than he stands to not make a “lot” of money. I have nothing against him and hope he is able to turn his life around. But I admit that I’ve never had an addiction problem so I’m sure I don’t know how really hard it is to kick one.

  72. I did state that Shannahan would be coach, I meant help Hue in his new role to develop Jackson; basic installation of a real NFL offense–The WCO in combination with Jackson’s knowledge–A gargantuan leap forward into the 2000 millennium and lightyears from–“We’re going to run the football “all of you who own NFL teams, because I’m Trent Baalke, and I’m so good at my job, having graduated from Bemidgi State U, I’m also smarter than you, which is why I’m telling you again, “We’re going to run the football” everyone–this is our strategy!!

    1. Look guys, we’ve got to quit giving into the idea that coaching and Quarterbacking in the NFL are OJT jobs

    1. I’m sure he told Baalke who to hire.

      He also pointed out the obvious that today’s owners are business men first and not sportsmen as they were in his day — short attention spans and no patience.

    1. If standing next to that crapbag and having to listen to him is a great offseason. Then shoot me if I was in that position.

  73. Tim Kawakami Retweeted Sam Carroll

    Sam Carroll
    ‏@Sam_J_Carroll @timkawakami I’m questioning why they would even interview Kelly with too many similarities with Harbaugh.

    You’re assuming that they have an over-arching plan. Which they do not. They’ve proven this.

    Tim Kawakami added,

      1. Cassie Baalke–Good Joke.

        Advise against poking a stick at the SEBBERWOCKY:

        Beware the Sebberwock, the jaws that bite, the claws that catch, beware the jubjub bird, and shun the frumious bandersnatch.

        He took his vorpal sword in hand, long time the maxim foe he sought,
        and in uffish thought he stood, buffoonish in clownish wear we swear,

        Sebberwock came whiffling through the tugley wood, paranoid, afraid of those mocking his posts.

        1. I was in the Grant 9er blog, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
          saying, I am Sebnynah, Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a blog, and send it unto the 9ers front office which are in Santa Clara…

          1. Narcissus does not fall in love with his reflection because it is beautiful, but because it is his. If it were his beauty that enthralled him, he would be set free in a few years by its fading.

        2. TrollD, See you are going to continue this discourse, so I will just counter by saying you are the antithesis of a fan, but just a shrill troll who writes screeds in a insipid and pathetic manner as cry for help.
          Trying to make fun of me just means that I am so important to you, you have to waste time attempting to attack me, but what everyone sees is another mean spirited hateful diatribe spoken by the fool on the hill.
          You cant touch me. I laugh at your smarmy tripe. Citing the Jabberwocky is a paean to my verbosity. No one else on this site ever evoked that literate example, so you parroting me is actually high praise. So keep it up. Try harder. I do feel pity that you fail so easily.
          TrollD, have a nice day.

    1. Hey TomD tell him that the difference is that Harbaugh’s teams can’ t beat Kelly’s teams

      1. Oregonner

        Agreed,

        But Kelly has never won a SuperBowl and Jed told us his organization is about winning SuperBowl–Shannahan has won a Superbowl or two, Holmgren should have won multiple SB’s and between them, have been involved with 9 SuperBowls–Including the Walsh years, so they know what a championship roster looks like.
        It starts with the QB position, and Holmgren and Shannahan know QB’s–Look what Gruden Junior has done with Cousins (Wash.), as an example of the Walsh WCO tree.

        1. I’m just saying there are interesting candidates this year. Before Jed selects one get a FOOTBALL PRESIDENT ON BOARD ASAP. Baalke has never put together a game plan in his life so does not know the hard work involved in designing clever plays.
          He knows what he grew up with–a product of his environment–Bill Parcells–the run game, traps, I-Smash, Off tackle, misdirection, etc…Let’s get real NFL people now, Jed, an NFL front office, please.

      2. In NFL terms, I don’t think you can make that statement.

        If the 49ers were a college team, this would be a different conversation. But this is the NFL and Harbaugh had considerably more success than Kelly…and beat him, too.

        1. Actually, I’m not the won making this statement. Bill Walsh, the Genius is from the grave, and with his coaching tree track record.

          I trust Walsh on all matters, football, more than, say, advice from all on this post or those involved in the 49er front office.

            1. Sorry NFL girl,

              I understand the Harbaugh reference you posted…Just like everyone on this site, simply want Jed to get this right…So much talent available–the Clemson QB for starters, all the coaches out there.
              I don’t trust Baalke. Even though it’s his last year he still holds sway over a new coach, and Kelly is desperate for a job–just the type to push around.
              Shannahan and Holmgren would be despised by Baalke, because Uncle Eddy hired them so they would see right through Baalke and go to Jed with this info.

              1. Homgren and Shannahan, have been around the block– in SuperBowls, they are no joke in this industry. Kelly hasn’t, and would not know a good GM from a Baalke GM. They would see Baalke for who he really is. A GM who only knows the run game, and was 21st in the NFL at the very thing he told the NFL in a nationally televised press conference he was going to do “we’re going to run the football.”

          1. I was responding to Oregon’s comment about Harbaugh not being able to beat Kelly…

            I want them to get this right, too – just don’t have much confidence that they will. Chip Kelly is a big name and will generate interest, but I personally don’t feel that he’s the right fit. I’m no expert, but my gut feeling says hiring him would be a total and utter disaster.

            1. I remember taking my 5-year old son to the 2009 Oregon-Stanford game. Stanford won the shootout against Chip’s team by a score like 52-48. Games in those days still started at 12:30 pm and we could just walk up and buy tickets. Luck threw a nice TD to Doug Baldwin. Toby Gerhart ran all over the Duck’s D. Harbaugh in khakis crouched with hands on his knees and spat constantly. Good memories!

          1. September 28th 2014 in their only head to head game – 49ers 26, Eagles 21. That’s a Fact.

  74. Grant Cohn, you need to research your facts better. For example, RG3 imploded on himself. He pushed the coach to play him, rather than Shanahan “making him play hurt” and then he kept on playing even while re-injuring himself. Shanahan put together a great offensive playbook, complete with a brilliant rookies RB Morris and 2nd string QB in Cousins. The offense was built to complement RG3 and all RG3 had to do was stop running into gang tackles, learn how to slide to avoid the hard hits, and tell the truth when he’s hurting. RG3 cost his team a huge lead in the playoffs against Seattle. I wont not fault Shanahan for how his career in DC ended. Likewise, you make other false allegations re Hue Jackson. You don’t really follow these coahes, so later on you make cheap shots based on who knows what!

  75. I’d like Baalke to draft Evan Boehm, C Missouri with one of those 4th Rounders….

  76. I am at piece. I know what they’re doing. They already have holmgren signed and they’re talking shanahan to become the OC or vice versa. They’re giving the tour of the museum of greats and giving them the “win one for the gipper and old times” speeches.
    It’s all going to happen and this franchise will be great again! WHEEEEEEEW!

    1. Ninermd loses in his malpractice blogs:

      At 63, Bruce Arians sure gives good, win one for the gipper speeches. He’s in the playoffs…You must be snoozing knowing full well, the Walsh’s coaching tree extends to John Gruden, whose son, Jay Gruden, is the head coach of Washington, is in the playoffs…I wonder who know more about football, Jay, John, Mike Shannahan, Mike Holmgren, or Niner-mal practiceblog-md…You’re just another bigot who hates the elderly.

        1. Possibility, although I think you can get a guy like Nate Sudfeld a lot cheaper and he’s got some clay to mold as well….

            1. As in, I believe the new coach will play a major role in the QB decisions. And hopefully WR decisions.

              1. It’s an average quarterback class and I just don’t see the value in trading up for one. Sudfeld reminds me of an Osweiler. He’s got all the traits that a guy like Jackson could develop behind the starter….

              1. I just keep hearing draft people say first round, but I would prefer if he was #36. Pretty sure Baalke would too.

              2. For sure. I’m gonna try and catch some of the FCS championship game tomorrow morning.

  77. Tim Kawakami “NFL source: Hue Jackson is the clear front-runner for the 49ers job, pending his interview on Sunday”

    1. Not the first report saying Jackson is Baalke’s preferred candidate. Have to think there is some truth behind the rumours.

      1. I think Miami and the 49ers have been given permission to interview Sunday.

        Not sure about the actual hiring though. They (might) have to wait until the Bengals season is over.

    2. Hue is the guy I thought would ultimately get the job, and I think it’s his if he wants it. There are rumblings that the Bengals may fire Lewis and promote Hue to HC if Cincy loses this weekend though.

    3. Although Hue is the 49ers frontrunner, it doesn’t guarantee the 49ers are Hue’s frontrunner.

        1. James Arcellana @RaidersReporter
          @timkawakami I assume that’s in the eyes of the Niners. Any idea on what Hue’s top choices as of now are?
          Follow
          Tim Kawakami ✔ @timkawakami
          @RaidersReporter I’m hearing it from coaching circles. Word is Hue and the 49ers like each other.
          3:58 PM – 8 Jan 2016

          Get it done Baalke.

  78. No he will interview Sunday no matter what. Bengals could fire Lewis and promote Hue. Doubt it though cause they never would allowed Hue to interview then.

  79. A high quality coach promotes lasting change in the needed direction. People of this quality are difficult to assess. For example, Harbaugh appeared to have “it” but the truth is there will never be a Harbaugh coaching tree because he doesn’t have the it factor. We all thought he did, but his team’s could not sustain at the top ten level. I am concerned the historic structural employee search deficits of the 49er organization, instituted by old man York and passed down to young York, is insufficient for selecting top flight management.

  80. So, if the 49ers want Hue and the feeling is mutual, would it be best if the Bengals lose? I’m not sure, but I don’t think the 49ers can announce that Hue is the new HC while the Bengals are still in the playoffs. But if the Bengals are still in the playoffs, is he allowed to sign a term sheet and then the announcement comes once the Bengals are done. We wouldn’t want to be in a situation where the two come to an oral agreement and then Hue changes his mind after the playoffs. By then Chip and others might be gone leaving us with the scraps that remain.

    1. I don’t know if its a hard rule or simply tradition out of respect for the playoff team, but I think most teams wait until the current employer’s out of the playoffs.

      Its a sticky situation because a team could have a late start hiring assistant coaches. I’m assuming Baalke could get feelers out on the assistant coaching staff during the interview… “so, Chryst is bye bye, right?” Something like that.

      1. On PFT:

        “The San Jose Mercury News reports Bengals OC Hue Jackson is the “clear front-runner” for the 49ers’ head-coach job.
        Jackson has yet to interview with the 49ers, but the sides are expected to meet Sunday. It sounds like he could be offered the job if everything checks out. Jackson can’t accept any offers until the Bengals are eliminated from the postseason. He also has interest from the Browns and Dolphins.”

    2. Like Gase, Hue will be in high demand. Neither would want to come to a division with Seattle and Cards. Other teams will outbid the Niners. Giants or Eagles are in a weak division.

  81. So I’m not understanding why the team is interviewing John DeFilippo. Reports are that it is for the OC and not HC position. But wasn’t the idea that Baalke and team would pick the HC (without Jed’s meddling) and the new HC would pick his staff (without Jed or Baalke meddling)? If this report is true that they are interviewing him for the OC position, then how is this going to play with a strong-willed HC (which most experienced ones are)?

    1. I think they are putting the cart before the horse.
      If anything, they should interview Lovie Smith, who has been a successful head coach before, not a newb OC.

    2. Pure speculation on my part…

      Baalke and Jackson know each other well, and Baalke could know who he likes for OC. It’s almost certain Chryst will be fired. If the Bengals go deep into the postseason, there will be less time for hiring assistant coaches.

      Might as well set the table now.

    3. Could be that Kelly said he’d like him in his interview. Or it could just be fact checking/ research.

  82. Perhaps Jed should instruct the GM to hand over the keys to Holmgren and let him drive. Problem solved.

  83. The best indicator of future success is past success. As a GM Holmgren sucked balls.

  84. Grant, have you figured out the members of Kelly’s “camp” yet? The other two of My Three Sons?

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