“I have had the benefit of watching Trent closely in the recent months and have been very impressed with his knowledge and leadership,” York said in a statement released by the team. “I am confident that Trent will find the 49ers an excellent head coach who will lead us to great success in the coming years.”
Before you could say “Rooney Rule,” reports surfaced this morning that the 49ers have requested permission from two teams to interview minority head-coaching candidates: Raiders offensive coordinator Hue Jackson and Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell.
Vice president of player personnel Trent Baalke appeared at practice today and said he will “visit” with 49ers president and CEO Jed York on Saturday.
Citing a well-placed source, CSN Bay Area has reported that Baalke will get the promotion. The report came after former Raiders personnel executive Michael Lombardi, who interviewed with 49ers president and CEO Jed York on Tuesday, said on NFL Network that he didn’t consider himself a candidate and thought Baalke would get the job within 48 hours.
After a blizzard of reports, tweets and one more interview, it appears 49ers vice president of player personnel Trent Baalke remains the leading candidate to become the team’s new general manager.
The NFL Network’s Jason LaCanfora said, via Twitter on Tuesday, that “(he’d) be surprised if Trent Baalke doesn’t end up getting that position.” LaCanfora has broken several 49ers stories this season.
York had a chance to be a bit more expansive on topics such as the relationship he wants the future general manager and head coach to possess, the need to address the problems at the quarterback position, the 49ers current lack of an identity and whether it’s important to hire an offensive-minded coach.
The Yorks, it’s worth noting, haven’t hesitated to open the vault recently – shelling out about $52 million in guaranteed money to lock up franchise cornerstones Patrick Willis and Vernon Davis to long-term deals.
After the latest sloppy loss in a 5-10 season that began with division-title hopes, 49ers coach Mike Singletary was fired Sunday night shortly after the team’s flight returned home from a 25-17 defeat to the Rams.
Team president and CEO Jed York met briefly with a group of reporters today in a near-empty locker room after the 49ers’ 25-17 loss to St. Louis, which dropped them to 5-10 and eliminated them from the playoffs. The give-and-take lasted less than four minutes, but York said a mouthful. York said the Niners would hire a general manager in the offseason and he and the new GM would collaborate…
