Rapoport: “49ers sources believe coach Jim Harbaugh is already losing the locker room.”

NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport just posted the following tweets:

1 (click here). 49ers sources believe coach Jim Harbaugh is already losing the locker room Veterans wonder: Is he really all in?

2 (click here). 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh irked some veterans by taking the team to Baltimore for days to practice against his brother. Just 1 example.

3 (click here). 49ers & coach Jim Harbaugh weren’t able to strike a new deal on a contract this offseason. Fair to wonder: Is this his last year in SF?

4 (click here). According to sources I’m speaking with including many in the 49ers locker room Jim Harbaugh may already be losing the players.

5 (click here). There are some serious doubts about whether Harbaugh is actually all in like he professes.

6 (click here). He says he is about the team, the team, the team; the players now wonder is that actually the case.

7 (click here). They have dealt with a lot over the last couple of years; some of the way he’s treated them, some lack of respect.

8 (click here). All bc they are winning, they are fine with it. But some of the players wonder if they lose will it all spiral out of control?

9 (click here). His contract status is in doubt, did not agree to an extension with the 49ers. He does have two years left on his deal.

10 (click here). On 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh: He knows about the grumbling in the locker room. He’s trying to appeal to his guys, especially the last week.

I don’t know who Rapoport’s sources are. Is this the way to start the season?

This article has 110 Comments

  1. This is nothing but regurgitation of stuff that people have been saying all offseason. Is there probably some truth to it? Yeah. Is there probably some b.s. to it? Yeah.

    1. One of the first things you learn in the real world is you don’t listen to unnamed sources. It works for sensational journalism and in political scandals but its probably some disgruntled player/s like LMJ starting trouble. There may be some truth but like you said Hammer there’s certainly some truth, but who said it and how many players. Could be small facts like a disgruntled RB who wants to play more makes a bigger issue out of it to get some press.

      1. Harbaugh himself has said he wears out his welcome quickly. Rumors usually have a foundation of truth. This story is like a 1000 piece puzzle, trying to paint a picture with about 350 of those pieces.

    2. Jerry Kramer wrote that he developed a great love and admiration for Vince Lombardi, BUT while he was a player it was a decidedly
      Love/Hate relationship. Most people I’ve met know that every one of us will perform better with a bit of pressure on us. The trick for leadership is how much to apply, which frankly,can vary from individual to individual. Within the group it can all be accepted if the leadership and expectations are fairly applied.

    3. I make the mistake of clicking on another PressDemo Niner “article” and this is what I get – just more lazy gossip pretending to be journalism. Hacks trolling Niner fans evidently because they’ve got nothing else to do. It’s all getting so tired.

  2. 1.) Take the call from the Raiders, Dolphins, or Cowboys and trade Harbaugh for some top draft picks in the offseason.

    2.) Hire the Offensive Coordinator from the Seahawks as HC.

    3.) Super Bowl victory in Santa Clara in 2016!

      1. No, its the new political nice of the NFL. Is it any different than the 49er’s saying Dallas has a good defense? Someone had a good article this week on how Harbaugh was one of the only scouts to rank Romo highly.

        1. How many people call Romo a great quarterback though? Harbaugh called him great a few times. Harbaugh didn’t have to go that far.

          1. Romo is almost as polarizing as Tebow. There are some people like Skip Bayless who think he’s great. Again how is calling Romo great any different than saying the Dallas D is good? Harbaugh scouted him and surely likes him. We’ve seen Harbaugh continue to swoon over talent he wanted and didn’t get as demonstrated by Reid and D Johnson.

            1. How many NFL coaches have publicly called Romo great? Does Jason Garrett even call Romo great?

              1. I don’t know but go back and look for us but you haven’t engage with the fact that JH swoons over talent he didn’t aquire. I would be if you looked back over other head coaches there are a few that have said that. Romo’s better than a lot people give him credit for and lead the 5th best offense in the league so his misfortune was to do it in Dallas. JH is also prone to over compliment in public and not give bulletin board quotes. So its weird, so what’s the conclusion you are making?

              2. “Great” is an extremely loaded word for football coaches. Harbaugh does not throw that word around lightly. He throws around “very good,” but not “great.”

                I’m drawing no conclusions.

              3. We’ll see, if my thoughts about today’s game are true I’ll put it on at halftime.

              4. Has he ever called him a great quarterback?
                —————-
                Does he play any other positions on the team?

          2. I see where you are going with this Grant.

            How long before you start stoking the straight-up Kaepernick for Romo trade rumors?

        1. It sounds like Grant is saying That Harbaugh is paving the way for Jerry Jones to open his check book and bring him in as the new coach. JJ has a habit of overpaying talent. Harbaugh and his agent are stroking the egos of some rich men in Dallas…

            1. He’d probably trade the son that talked him out of drafting Manziel right about now.

      2. C’mon, Grant, not strange at all. That’s what always happens during the week before games, and you know it.

      3. Heaping praise on the opposition has become the NFL’ form of their own political correctness.

        Bill Walsh was very good at lauding opposing teams in the playoffs before going out to clean their clocks in the game.
        It’s much easier and safe to praise your opponent vs trash talking them and risk the chance of giving your opponent an emotion edge.

        Also, head coaches don’t need to expound how great their players are to the press. As long as the player knows where he stands with his coach and the Org that should be enough to carry on a professional and respectful relationship.
        I believe that players are more concerned that their head coach is making every effort to develop a culture of winning rather than being a friend with everyone.

        Harbaugh has set a standard for winning. If any player is looking for more than that he is too emotionally attached.
        Friendships in the locker room (and like every walk of life) come and go, Superbowl rings last forever.
        Harbaugh is about winning the ring and that works for me!

      1. Are you sure you want to go there? NFL.com also poked huge holes in your Don’t Start Carr proposition.

  3. I think every coach is at the risk of “losing the locker room” at any given moment in this league, especially if the team starts losing.

    The one important thing I notice when players get interviewed is that they almost ALWAYS use the same language as coach Harbaugh. There doesn’t seem to be much expression of “outside thought” coming out of the locker room. That would be a true sign of “disgruntled players.” Instead we see a team of players and coaches dealing with adversity and yet still sticking together.

    If Brandon Jacobs is any indication, if Harbaugh finds a “cancer” in the locker room, that player (or coach even) will be out in a heart beat!

  4. Mettenberger is inactive for his first game, I guess he’s not ready to be the #2 yet. Although, this is the coaching staff that cut Tyler Wilson so maybe I should just assume they’re a bunch know-nothing boobs.

    1. You know who isn’t inactive, Trent Murphy. No way we could use him at outside linebacker right about now. So glad he’s on another team….grrrr.

              1. Nah, I don’t think Murphy would be active on our roster as well. Really don’t like him as a prospect.

  5. No coach can or should expect 100% support from his team, especially given Jims quirky personality. If the select veteran leaders on this current team can focus the younger players and make a playoff run, Jim will be back for at least one more season.

  6. The fact the you post something that you got from a rumor mill is beyond me. How long have you been a beat writer for the niners? Where are YOUR inside connections? There has been locker room problems since Kaep got there. One thing I know as a former player, you might never like or agree with your coach. That doesn’t matter because when you step on that field you’re playing for yourself and your teammates. I would find it hard to believe that the 49ers players are going to go out and lay eggs because they don’t like/agree with Harbaugh. Also, when you have passionate players and coaches you are bound to have problems. Iron sharpens iron and competition breeds success. So to me the fact that you have “some” disgruntle players is natural.

  7. Brandon Cooks is killing it with the saints. Makes me even more frustrated knowing we let LMJ go to waste. I pray we created packages to get Ellington in space. Misdirections, motions out of the backfield, something. If we don’t see these things this yr, I refuse to continue to blame the players and will look to directly at the offensive coaches.

    1. I like Ellington. I think he has good speed but I don’t see that “dynamic” THE guy who has IT explosive playmaker with SPEED. I really like him. He’s built thick & compact, strong, is steady, makes plays, & he has a lot of promise. He looks like a smart football player

      I just want a couple more DYNAMIC explosive fast playmakers on this Offense that can stretch the field & scare Defenses. That’s what Seattle has a ONE UP (or 2) on us. They have Harvin, Rookie WR Richardson, & Lockette. That’s serious stretch the field speed & explosiveness (esp Harvin)

      Baalke drafts solidly I give him that. I just with he would envision a couple more legit FAST EXPLOSIVE playmakers. It would make us more complete & not have to grind out every game. And yes I do like Roman even though he gets slammed here bigtime (the past OC’s before him were garbage) but I agree there’s ZERO EXCUSE LMJ doesn’t get used properly (more sweeps, screens, quick passes out in space/isolation). Did the Niners Coaches tell him to add more muscle? I just don’t see LMJ pop out on the screen & he gets caught easily on punt returns. Where’s the juice??

      I like the new WR’s / added weapons. Just want more SPEED, EXPLOSIVENESS on the outside esp. GO NINERSSSSSS TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

  8. This silliness just strengthens the them vs the world mentality… Been a long off-season but winning as usual will shut these wannabe TMZ/Florio reporters up.

  9. Another unsubstantiated piece about Jim Harbaugh by the media. But of course that doesn’t really matter to Grant who will latch to anything negative about Harbaugh. Truth be damned.

  10. Tom Coughlin was perhaps one of the most hated of all coaches by some of his own team players and eventually won them over by winning.

    Rappaport makes the point that because Harbaugh continues to win the locker does not fall out of control.
    That is a matter of Rappaport concluding with his own personal opinion which is highly subjective at best.

    Every player wants to win, period. And they want to be a part of an organization that is committed to that end and the 49ers with their current ownership, coaches, and players are on the same page with this.

    This team is about winning a Superbowl. All the side-show events will have to wait their day some time after we bring home the Lombardi.

  11. The niners should go ahead and cut Lamichael James- the dude is a cancer- he isnt good and has been the lone guy on the niners who has criticized Harbaugh before. There simply aren’t that many players on the niners 53 man roster who would source something like this.

  12. While on vacation I have some family obligations to visit. My niece said about Sunday “OK, sure, but let’s hang out at the Tiki Grill and watch the Niners game.”
    I now have a favorite niece. Go Niners.

  13. Justin Gilbert is getting torn up today, told people he wasn’t NFL ready yet. Browns finding out the hard way.

    1. Its his first game. You expect rookies to struggle some as a rookie, especially playing his first game. Lets see how the season plays out before ripping him.

      Btw, I also said he wasn’t ready. Just saying one game isn’t enough evidence. The fact that he’s playing tells you he’s done something to impress the Browns coaches…

  14. A few pregame questions…
    Is it boiling hot?
    Is the roof is retracted?
    Is Jerry Jones personal spectacles cleaner warmed up and ready?

    1. Unfortunately, this blog author is too caught up in regurgitating rumors than reporting on anything us fans care about. I would be interested to know as well.

  15. I like the part about being mad with traveling to baltimore to scrimmage. No teams scrimmage with a team they are playing a preseason game against. That was selfish………

      1. Btw, my take on it being “selfish” is that if Jim wants to see John, he can hop on a plane. He doesn’t need to take the team with him.

  16. It should be noted that IR has been reporting and hinting at tensions between JH and Niners org since the loss to the Ravens in the super bowl. How much is fact and how much is conjecture.

    1. My hunch… The new receiver talent is less about changes in philosophy, and more about forcing defenses play the 49ers honestly.

      Last season defenses stacked the box. In the NFC Championship Seattle often had ten players within a few yards of the line of scrimmage… even on first and ten.

      I don’t see the 49ers passing significantly more. I see them punishing 9-in-the-box defenses, which should open running lanes later in the game for Gore.

      1. If so, I’d love to see it. Nothing like “ground and pound” that works. Easier to run in the fourth quarter. Saves your defense. Keeps their offense off the field. It’s really perfect winning football.

  17. Inactives

    Patton – Says alot about Ellington’s progress and Lloyd/Johnson’s readiness.

    Tank, Dial – Only four D-linemen? Glad they have the room up and the AC on.

    Maiocco says Martin and Looney will start. (thinks Boone could come in at some point)

  18. Stopped reading after veterans wonder if he really is all in. Lol, Harbaugh has more passion than any coach in the league

  19. Which is why I’ve continued to ask how long has grant been a beat writer and if he has any inside connections. If not, in my opinion, he’s missing some journalistic skills. Because he should have someone practice player or veteran giving him some type of info. Instead I see him piggy backing off of others.

  20. Knowledgeable fans: “Ian Rapaport is just another national media douche trying to manufacture a storyline.”

  21. Aside from Rapoport’s claim today, which led to everyone quoting him as source even though he quoted an ‘anonymous’ source, this is news from March. Google that junk. Dude can’t even come up with new stories. Yeesh!

  22. the suggestion that Coach Harbaw is
    losing the Niner locker room fits with
    what he showed us on the sideline today.
    His over-the-top reactions to referees calls, etc.
    are examples of his lack of control of his own temperament.
    Those highly visible, public exaggerations/grimaces/gesticulations
    may well be “just the tip of the iceberg…” Melt on, baby…!!!

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