Jim Tomsula on Colin Kaepernick’s job security: “We’re evaluating everyone.”

SANTA CLARA

Here’s the transcript of Jim Tomsula’s Monday press conference, courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. department.

Opening comments:

“Injuries, again I was just in there trying to get more. Here’s what we have; [CB Keith] Reaser injured his ankle and [CB Kenneth] Acker took a shot in the ribs and shoulder area. Don’t believe either one of those are real serious. Both of those guys were back in. [RB] Reggie [Bush] is getting an MRI. I don’t have any update on the results. [RB] Mike Davis is down getting that. All of that is happening, or has happened. We haven’t gotten to the doctors. He’s meeting now, trying to get on the phone. [S L.J.] McCray, he had a knee. Still waiting to find out exactly what that is. [P Bradley] Pinion was a calf, he was in today. And, that’s what I have. And then, [TE Garrett] Celek is going through the concussion protocol. So, that’s that.”

 

There was a report that Davis has a fractured hand.

“I know he’s getting checked for that. I know they were going down to X-Ray and they X-Rayed yesterday and then they were going down for an MRI today or something at Stanford. I think he’s got something in his hand. I don’t know exactly what it is and I don’t want to tell you until I know. But, yes we are checking that.”

 

With Reggie’s situation, I know that was kind of a fluke accident, but here’s a guy who’s had difficulty staying healthy on the field, you guys were already down RB Carlos Hyde, why have him back returning punts to put himself into more danger or more susceptibility for an injury?

“We were trying to win the game. And, Reggie came here as a running back and a punt returner and that’s what we were doing.”

 

Obviously, the way things are going there’s more than one Band-Aid you’ve got to put on this. How do you prioritize? What is your first topic of your first meeting?

“This morning or last night?”

 

Whenever. How do you prioritize?

“Well, first thing we have to do is I want to look from a coaching standpoint, take a look at the tape and then go through the game plan with the tape and see where we’re putting people. What can we do to put people in better situations to their skill set and then from there personnel and looking at that.”

 

Have you guys met and is there a decision on who your starting quarterback will be Sunday?

“Yeah, we’re evaluating everything right now. So, we’re in the middle of it right now. I don’t have any comments on any position on our field right now. We are evaluating everybody.”

 

In the past, you’ve stated quite clearly, “QB Colin Kaepernick is our quarterback.”

“Yeah, we’re evaluating everyone.”

 

Does that mean he might not start the next game?

“I’m not going to have any further comment. I’m just telling you that we are evaluating everyone.”

 

When do you have to make that decision? Obviously, you’re putting in the game plan, I would suspect the game plan would be a lot different for one quarterback than the other. When does that have to be made?

“Again, we’ll make those decisions when we’ve got those things done in every position. Every position.”

 

How do you think Colin played yesterday?

“Colin didn’t play good enough. Neither did the team. The San Francisco 49ers didn’t play good enough.”

 

Someone could say that you didn’t have WR Anquan Boldin, you lost three of the top running backs on the team.

“Not looking for excuses.”

 

When former 49ers head coach Bill Walsh first started, he didn’t do well with this team and as it’s not going well now. And, he had moments of self-doubt. He wondered if he was a good coach. He wondered if he should even leave the team. Do you ever have moments like that?

“I can’t tell you that I have a confidence problem. But, do I reassess myself? Do I try to objectively look? I think you were the one that asked me if there’s people I call to assess what I’m doing and the way I’m doing it, the way I’m thinking. So, the reassessment, which I think that’s what I’m terming what you’re saying.”

 

No. He had flat out self-doubt. He wasn’t reassessing.

“Yeah, I’m not at a self-doubt place right now. No, sir.”

 

Are you going to have to bring in more running backs?

“Yeah, I mean that’s very fluid right now. I can’t give you any, when transactions happen we’ll make sure that we let you know. But, that’s fluid.”

 

Is it at a tryout stage where you’ll have several guys come in?

“I’m not going to really comment on the whole thing, but yeah that’s a very fluid situation.”

 

Apparently we were told or suggested that RB Jarryd Hayne was told that he would have a spot on the practice squad if he clears waivers. Now, would he be on the 53-man?

“Again, I’m not going to make any comments on personnel.”

 

Do you have regularly scheduled meetings with the general manager and the owner or are those just on call?

“Yes sir.”

 

Weekly?

“Yes sir.”

 

What are the topics at that?

“We go through everything. We go through the game, the entire, I mean everything. You’ve got the operations guy in there and those are all very quick and then we go through the game and everything that we’re doing.”

 

And what day of the week is that?

“We have a very short meeting personnel-wise on Mondays. We’ll have that later on. And then, usually right there at the end of the week.”

 

What’s the progress of your number two quarterback and is he close to being ready to play the number one guy?

“See, I know where we’re going with this with this questioning. I’m not going down that road. I’ve got a lot of respect for [QB] Blaine Gabbert.”

 

What do your players need from you and your staff to be successful?

“You know, that’s what we’re attacking right now. Yesterday, the penalties on special teams, that was something I wanted to get right on the tape and see. And a lot of those are, we’ve cleaned up the penalties and then yesterday it was back again. We had 13, they had 12. There were a lot of flags on the field. It was effort, but careless. We’ve got some young guys there, but reaching out outside of your body trying to make the block, things like that. So, making sure we get back refocused in that and get that back to where we want it. And then quite frankly the practice to the games. When you watch the practice tape and you see the plays and then you get to game time, that’s the area that we’re focusing on big time.”

 

You’ve probably seen some not good locker room environments in your time. How is your locker room and what are some things you do to keep it as positive as it can be?

“Well, I think the locker room is good. I think it’s very good. The guys are in there quite a bit together. What we’ve tried to do, other than the media hour, is keep people out of there so that they have a for lack of a better word, a clubhouse-environment for them to be able to be together. And we’re all fighting through a tough spell. We’re all going through a storm together and you’re either part of the guys pulling up the sails or you’re putting a jackhammer to the bottom of it. And, I don’t see jackhammers. I see guys that are really trying to do right and get it. Obviously there’s frustration when you lose and all those things, but the core of that room is good.”

 

Do you have to do more motivationally knowing these losses can kill morale? Are you in there more or have you ramped up those efforts?

“I think I’m a person that’s around a locker room more than most. So, I can’t say that I’ve ramped those up. And in terms of motivation, guys at this level when it comes to the motivation there’s a difference between something that’s coming real and some prepared speech. I don’t want to go the route of prepared speeches. I’d rather be real.”

 

I’m sure you’ve had to kind of do everything as a coach, but right now does this team need a kick in the pants or a pat on the back?

“I’m going to keep that between us, between me and the locker room.”

 

Is this a rebuilding season?

“I’m not into the labels. I’m not into any of that. From the perspective of a coach or a player, we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do to focus to prepare to go win a football game.”

 

Are you comfortable with where your coordinators are at moving forward for the rest of the year at least for this week?

“Yes sir.”

 

How do you deal with the trade deadline coming up and the possibility of maybe losing veterans to contenders?

“That’s every year. That’s in every organization. So, that’s just part of the business.”

 

I don’t mean this as a facetious question, but anything in your head coaching experience in Europe compare to this or give you something to draw on for this, what you’ve been through?

“Well in Europe, if the guys did pick up the newspaper to read, it wasn’t in English. So, I didn’t have to worry about all of the stuff coming out from others.”

This article has 15 Comments

  1. Who’s evaluating the evaluators is what I’d like to know. York, Baalke and Jimmy Tom….

      1. The 49ers have Tartourette syndrome. Sh*t-eating son-of-a-b*tch! Bastard, douche-bag, tw*t, numb-nuts, d*ckhead, B*TCH!

  2. Could the 49ers amass a fortune in draft picks prior to the 2016 NFL Draft?

    The hot name floating around? San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

    A name that has now been co-signed by former Philadelphia Mayor, and former Pennsylvania Governor, Ed Rendell — who even goes as far as to say he was ‘told’ Kaepernick will be on the move

      1. Wow, 6th round picks for Davis–Baalke ensuring the 49ers are underwhelmingly positioned for the 2016 Draft.

  3. I heard we swapped 7th round picks this year and picked up a 6th this year and a 7th next year. Considering our track record with these picks I’m sure we (Trent) didn’t squander this opportunity. Truth though, I think they were simply unloading a cancer who may have been destroying the locker room (at least I hope so).

    1. There are still several versions floating around concerning which “significant” draft picks are involved. I haven’t seen anything like your version.

      I can see them swapping our seventh for Denver’s sixth this year because if the season goes the way it’s started there will only be a few slots between them. Then a Denver sixth in 2017 which probably won’t be much better than first seventh that year. In a trade going out a year is usually worth one slot lower during the current year.

  4. This was from Tim Daniels on BR who was sourcing Schefter.

    Would love to know the details though…

    Heard we signed Shaun Draughn too. Anyone know anything about him?

    Seems like we should have made this pick up a week or two ago. These moves look desperate.

  5. Let’s face it…this season is gone…Im ok with the Davis trade, so good luck Vernon….trading Staley would be nothing short of STUPID…a Pro Bowl Left Tackle needs to be held on to…..trading #7? Thats a horse of a different color….if I could find a team that wants him, he’s gone….he’ll never be a successful NFL QB, regardless of how much time he spends with Kurt Warner, in Arizona, during the off-season….the only problem I have with Tomsula’s statement about everybody being evaluated is that, I wonder, who is doing the evaluations? The FO has proven that they are marginal, at best, in making draft picks….sub-standard at evaluating coaching talent….and, finally an owner and GM that have man crushes on one another….not a winning combination

  6. To me it looks like ownership and coaches are the problem. Does anybody else see the decline in Kap since coachT has come on? Kap was succeeding with Harbaugh. I think its time that the owners stop and grow up so our team can do the same. You can’t take a running quarterback and keep him in the pocket! He is not a pocket passer. Let Kap do what he does best. What got us to the top in the last recent years.
    I think we need a good experienced coach. Somebody that at least has control over the team. It looks like the keystone cops out there. Put the blame where it belongs – the owners and now coaches.

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