With the loss to the Seahawks today, the 49ers have officially been eliminated from playoff contention, ending a streak of three consecutive NFC Championship Game appearances earlier than most fans and pundits would have expected before the season.
At 7-7 and with nothing to play for, the focus in San Francisco will turn to the ongoing drama concerning head coach Jim Harbaugh’s future in the NFL. It seems as if the Harbaugh rumors have been a cloud over the team for the entire season, and the tension between the coach and his bosses, CEO Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke, seem irreparable.
However, the franchise quarterback Colin Kaepernick is not ready to give up on the coach who gave him his first shot to play in the NFL, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBAyArea.com. “I think we have great confidence in coach Harbaugh and this staff and everything we’re doing to make sure this team is prepared for Sundays,” Kaepernick said before the game against the Seahawks. “Things haven’t gone as smoothly as the last three seasons, so people start panicking and criticizing.”
When asked if he thought that this team’s window was closing, the quarterback answered very simply, “Not a chance.”
Harbaugh had been a big supporter of Kaepernick, who signed a year-to-year deal that made it easy for the organization to move on from him financially. However, Kaepernick’s job is not directly linked to Harbaugh, and the 49ers would likely be excited to see how he takes to a new system on offense, especially after the regression he has experienced as a passer this season.