Jim Harbaugh: Split with Niners not mutual

[amfootball]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12323022/jim-harbaugh-says-split-san-francisco-49ers-was-not-mutual

 

The mutual breakup between the San Francisco 49ers and Jim Harbaugh wasn't so mutual after all, at least not according to the team's former coach. Harbaugh said Friday on "The TK Show," a San Jose Mercury News podcast, that the end of his tenure with the 49ers came at their behest.

"I was told I wouldn't be the coach anymore," Harbaugh said. "And then ... you can call it 'mutual,' I mean, I wasn't going to put the 49ers in the position to have a coach that they didn't want anymore. "But that's the truth of it. I didn't leave the 49ers. I felt like the 49er hierarchy left me."

 

To Harbaugh's recollection, the Niners informed him that he wouldn't be coming back on the Monday after the team's Dec. 14 loss at Seattle. Instead of leaving then, Harbaugh said he wanted to coach the final two games out of a desire to finish what he started.

 

According to Harbaugh, the final weeks in San Francisco were a bit awkward as rumors swirled that defensive line coach Jim Tomsula would be his eventual replacement.

"I wasn't reading anything that was on the Internet, I was really focused on doing my job, but definitely walk down the halls and people look away or they look at you and you know something's going on,"

 

 

[Nobody]

Duh. Steal for Michigan.

[Cynjin]

It would be interesting, not that we will, to hear the whole story of what went on to make an owner get rid of a successful head coach.

[amfootball]

If true, I would be really upset if I was a niners fan.

[crazycolt1]

Jims leaving SF didn't shock me at all. I had been reading stuff like a lot of the players didn't like him running and treating them like they were a collage team. That had been going on for a while. Seems like Jim didn't get along with management very well either. I have no clue IF that was the reason he was what you call mutual fired.

[ruksak]

Corporate egos led to the release of the only coach to give them relevance since frickin' Steve young played back in the 90's. 

 

Burn SF, burn. I hope they wallow in misery for another 12+ years for allowing a jerk in a suit to harm the franchise like this, all over egos. 

[CR91]

niners were nothing til harbaugh came and they will be nothing again

[BOTT]

I think that was fairly obvious.  I feel sorry for Jim Tomsula if things don't go well next season.

[oldunclemark]

we're only getting one side...

Jim Harbaugh has a reputation of being difficult.

...and they were not a playoff team this year

[HtownColt]

That was obvious

[oldunclemark]

and that obviously had to do with him being axed

[BOTT]

and that obviously had to do with him being axed

 

glazer was reporting the 49ers were going to axe harbaugh very early in the season....so it had nothing to do with them not making the playoffs. 

[oldunclemark]

He was speculating because it didnt happen until 4 months later..

....Had they made the playoffs and reached the SB..do you honestly think this happens?

[BOTT]

He was speculating because it didnt happen until 4 months later......Had they made the playoffs and reached the SB..do you honestly think this happens?

Yeah, and he just happened to be right. Why would he speculate about a coach with Harbaugh's track record? You speculate about guys like Joe Philbin, not highly successful coaches like Harbaugh.

If they make they playoffs, yes, Harbaugh still gets fired.

[BloodyChamp]

You mean like he'd done the previous 3 seasons?

[oldunclemark]

Absolutely...lot s of 'insiders' say something they hear..

..sometimes it comes true.././sometimes it doesn't..

..Remember how Roger Goddell was about to be fired last year?

Harbaugh isn't an easy guy to get along with...according to many other 'insiders'

But if the 49ers were in the SB and won it?

Of course, he'd still be coach. Losing always makes it a lot easier for management to do what they wanted to do anyway

[oldunclemark]

You mean like he'd done the previous 3 seasons?

But as soon as he didn't win......he was done....coincidence?

[BOTT]

Absolutely...lot s of 'insiders' say something they hear....sometimes it comes true.././sometimes it doesn't....Remember how Roger Goddell was about to be fired last year?Harbaugh isn't an easy guy to get along with...according to many other 'insiders'But if the 49ers were in the SB and won it?Of course, he'd still be coach. Losing always makes it a lot easier for management to do what they wanted to do anyway

There was talk about Goodell because some thought he wasn't doing his job well. Harbaugh had been to 3 straight nfc championships and 1 SB. That's not a coach you speculate about unless it's coming from....I dunno......the 49ers?

Sure, if he wins the SB, he is probably back, but that's not all you said. Then again, Jerry Jones fired Jimmy Johnson after winning the SB. Baalke and York wanted Harbaugh gone....and they fired him.....it's pretty simple.

[Patagonia Chris]

He was speculating because it didnt happen until 4 months later..

....Had they made the playoffs and reached the SB..do you honestly think this happens?

 

There was multiple reports from multiple outlets (Glazer, Deadspin, ESPN) all season long that the scenario you presented was the only way HE WOULD BE BACK. Jed York and mainly, Steve Baalke, have been set on moving on for a long time.

[oldunclemark]

Goddell has always doen his job well..make money for the owners and grow the game.

The point there is: Those who said hge'd surel;y be out..were wrong, werent they.

If he wins the SB, is what I said...exactly..BOTT..

Its not complicated..My point is....

Harbaugh is apparently difficult and it didnt just start last August.

Why wasn't Harbaugh fired last year? Did they suddenly decide they didn't like him this season.

Its because they won....See what I'm saying.

His winning saved his job. When he lost..he was done. The story says they wanted him out after the loss to Seattle dropped them from playoff consideration..

Its good for both sides...SF was in decline with Harbaugh..they needed a change..

Michigan is at a low point..they need a boost

[oldunclemark]

There was multiple reports from multiple outlets (Glazer, Deadspin, ESPN) all season long that the scenario you presented was the only way HE WOULD BE BACK. Jed York and mainly, Steve Baalke, have been set on moving on for a long time.

There were multiple reports that Goddell was gone, too. Wrong.

'Insiders' (the good ones) get a tip from someone they know in the front office..

SF didn't ask Jim H. to scram until he was eliminated from the playoffs..

What does that tell you?

..and if they were set to move on for a long time..as you say (and I dont doubt) why didn't they fire him after the 2013 season??

Obviously, (to me) its because they were winning. That's the NFL.

[BOTT]

Goddell has always doen his job well..make money for the owners and grow the game.The point there is: Those who said hge'd surel;y be out..were wrong, werent they.If he wins the SB, is what I said...exactly..BOTT..Its not complicated..My point is....Harbaugh is apparently difficult and it didnt just start last August.Why wasn't Harbaugh fired last year? Did they suddenly decide they didn't like him this season.Its because they won....See what I'm saying.His winning saved his job. When he lost..he was done. The story says they wanted him out after the loss to Seattle dropped them from playoff consideration..Its good for both sides...SF was in decline with Harbaugh..they needed a change..Michigan is at a low point..they need a boost

The nfl is going to make money regardless if Goodall is there or not. People didn't think he handled some serious issues very well. You know this, so don't play dumb.

You said if he makes the playoffs or wins the SB. If he simply made the playoffs he was still going to get fired.

A lot of coaches are difficult. Find a way to work around it.

But you will believe what you want to believe.....you always do.

[oldunclemark]

Goddell is still there because he's very good..'aka'..winning Unprecedented sucvess with him running things.

I;m sure all the owners don't love him but he wins

Harbaugh was there until he started losing..then his flaws outweighed his assets...

That's how the NFL works

Seattle doesnt like Marshawn Lynch...But they sure made him a big offer (reportedly) after this season.

Early in the year...they were 'done with him' according to the insiders..

That's just how the NFL works...

[jvan1973]

Goddell has always doen his job well..make money for the owners and grow the game.

The point there is: Those who said hge'd surel;y be out..were wrong, werent they.

If he wins the SB, is what I said...exactly..BOTT..

Its not complicated..My point is....

Harbaugh is apparently difficult and it didnt just start last August.

Why wasn't Harbaugh fired last year? Did they suddenly decide they didn't like him this season.

Its because they won....See what I'm saying.

His winning saved his job. When he lost..he was done. The story says they wanted him out after the loss to Seattle dropped them from playoff consideration..

Its good for both sides...SF was in decline with Harbaugh..they needed a change..

Michigan is at a low point..they need a boost

there was no report that Goodell was definitely going to be fired

[BOTT]

Goodell is a failure. He can't even get a team in Mississippi

[Patagonia Chris]

There were multiple reports that Goddell was gone, too. Wrong.

'Insiders' (the good ones) get a tip from someone they know in the front office..

SF didn't ask Jim H. to scram until he was eliminated from the playoffs..

What does that tell you?

..and if they were set to move on for a long time..as you say (and I dont doubt) why didn't they fire him after the 2013 season??

Obviously, (to me) its because they were winning. That's the NFL.

 

Well they're clearly not going to announce in Week 2 that they're firing their coach at the end of the season. I don't remember seeing one credible article that said Goodell getting fired was a foregone conclusion the way the Harbaugh articles rolled in each week. Also, if they fired Harbaugh at the end of last year they would still have had to pay him for this season and next, and reports are that the 49ers cheaped out on the new coaching staff, so I doubt they wanted that much dead money. Do you not remember that they were very close to trading Harbaugh to Cleveland in the off-season last year and that's what essentially lead to all of the reports and stories about a rift between management and coaches? This has been in the works for a couple of seasons.

[crazycolt1]

The nfl is going to make money regardless if Goodall is there or not. People didn't think he handled some serious issues very well. You know this, so don't play dumb.

You said if he makes the playoffs or wins the SB. If he simply made the playoffs he was still going to get fired.

A lot of coaches are difficult. Find a way to work around it.

But you will believe what you want to believe.....you always do.

Goodell handled those issues how he was told. Why do you think the owners pay him the big money? To be their face and voice in front of the camera. He is a well paid puppet for the owners and has been from day one. Goodell has 32 bosses. Just wrap your mind around that. And also you believe what you want so what makes you any different?

[BOTT]

Goodell handled those issues how he was told. Why do you think the owners pay him the big money? To be their face and voice in front of the camera. He is a well paid puppet for the owners and has been from day one. Goodell has 32 bosses. Just wrap your mind around that. And also you believe what you want so what makes you any different?

Well duh, everyone knows he has 32 bosses. But you really believe 32 owners wrote a memo and told Goodell on how or handle the ray rice case? Goodell has to make some decisions on his own. Wow, that was difficult to wrap my head around.

I believe what I want, but my opinion is usually based in reality.

[Nobody]

Jims leaving SF didn't shock me at all. I had been reading stuff like a lot of the players didn't like him running and treating them like they were a collage team. That had been going on for a while. Seems like Jim didn't get along with management very well either. I have no clue IF that was the reason he was what you call mutual fired.

Those reports of the players not liking him appear to have been leaked and fabricated by the FO.

[crazycolt1]

Well duh, everyone knows he has 32 bosses. But you really believe 32 owners wrote a memo and told Goodell on how or handle the ray rice case? Goodell has to make some decisions on his own. Wow, that was difficult to wrap my head around.

I believe what I want, but my opinion is usually based in reality.

If you think Goodell makes the calls all by himself you are the one who needs a lesson in reality.

[BOTT]

If you think Goodell makes the calls all by himself you are the one who needs a lesson in reality.

I said some decisions. You really think 32 billionaire owners have the time to micro manage Goodell? Yes, the owners guide the direction of the league, but they don't manage every decision. But hey, if you think Paul Allen was calling Goodell from his yacht about the initial ray rice suspension go right ahead.

[Qwiz]

I thought this was apparent, given the reports about the locker room dissent and dislike of Harbaugh from earlier in the season. Still, as others have mentioned, there are two sides to every story...it seems strange that they would fire Harbaugh for nothing at all.

[southwest1]

Corporate egos led to the release of the only coach to give them relevance since frickin' Steve young played back in the 90's. 

 

Burn SF, burn. I hope they wallow in misery for another 12+ years for allowing a jerk in a suit to harm the franchise like this, all over egos. 

I keep asking myself the same question: Does Jed York, CEO & owner of the 49ers remember HC Mike Singletary? Jim took the same roster talent & made the Niners relevant again as a SB contender. 

 

York will rue the day he let his ego allow Harbaugh to walk out that west coast door. The best coach the Bay area has had since Bill Walsh. 

 

The worst part of it all is that their new HC Jim Tomsula can't even communicate with the local media. It's like watching a middle school kid getting tutored for remedial reading on the fly. Just embarrassing. No confidence booster at all for the fans or players in the locker room. Sigh...The only team that loves this move is Pete Carroll because the Seahawks only have to fear AZ in their own division now. 

 

Was upper management intoxicated when they said "Sure what the hades, let's kick Jimmy to the curb?" I'm being partially sarcastic & partially honest in my question. Owners know nothing about coaching & they should never attempt to play one in real life either or act like they can improve the situation themselves. JMO. 

[21isSuperman]

I think that was fairly obvious.  I feel sorry for Jim Tomsula if things don't go well next season.

I feel the same way.  I think it'll be really hard for Tomsula to get that team to where Harbaugh took them.  It's almost like he's set up to fail

[southwest1]

"Who's got it better than us?!" 31 other teams do apparently.  Sorry. My bad. I couldn't resist telling that joke or SW1's take on the San Fran situation anyway. 

 

I just think that you shouldn't hire a position coach with no experience handling administrative management duties overseeing an entire roster of players & staff. Plus, he doesn't inspire anybody when he speaks & that spells disaster to me.

 

Also, given the incredible success of Harbaugh, fan expectations of winning a championship will be through the roof with no room for failure at all. 

[southwest1]

I feel the same way.  I think it'll be really hard for Tomsula to get that team to where Harbaugh took them.  It's almost like he's set up to fail

Exactly 21 exactly. I would have gone after Rex Ryan with a vengeance. I know he was brought in for a sit down, but you need his larger than life personality to handle the loss of Jim.

 

Plus, Rex has taken the Jets to the AFC Championship Game so big moments in the post season don't scare him at all. Also, Rex knows how to win daily media reporters of a city over & he gives journalists something juicy to write about in their columns & on their social media accounts too. 

 

You never follow up an inspiring vocal coach with a no name dude as timid as a church mouse. Jim Tomsula may be a good coach I have no idea, but you can't follow up a coach 1 drive away from a SB victory with a nobody who leaves everyone across the NFL landscape scratching their heads saying Tomsula who? It makes upper management look petty, stupid, & incompetent. 

[southwest1]

I thought this was apparent, given the reports about the locker room dissent and dislike of Harbaugh from earlier in the season. Still, as others have mentioned, there are two sides to every story...it seems strange that they would fire Harbaugh for nothing at all.

True QuizBoy, we are not getting ownership's side of this rift, but if guys in the locker room swear they love him & would run through a wall if he asked them to, I'm not making a change as long as his message isn't getting stale or athletes don't start tuning him out. 

 

I will admit though that Jim's constant bickering about referee calls particularly in NFC Championship Games was starting to get on my darn nerves, but I'm never firing a proven playoff coach over something that small. 

[Qwiz]

True QuizBoy, we are not getting ownership's side of this rift, but if guys in the locker room swear they love him & would run through a wall if he asked them to, I'm not making a change as long as his message isn't getting stale or athletes don't start tuning him out.

I will admit though that Jim's constant bickering about referee calls particularly in NFC Championship Games was starting to get on my darn nerves, but I'm never firing a proven playoff coach over something that small.

That's the thing..none of us will ever know for sure what their reasons for dumping him were. Maybe he and the front office bumped heads? Maybe the reports from anonymous players about Harbaugh were true? Like you said, no way he gets fired for being too fiery...that was a staple of Jim Harbaugh since he got there. There is something else underneath all of this I think.

[BloodyChamp]

But as soon as he didn't win......he was done....coincidence?

Yep. Ask Marty Shottenheimer.

[Synthetic]

They will regret this when they fail to win 8 games next year.