Jim Harbaugh

Jim Harbaugh, 49ers Agree To Split

December 28th, 2014 at 7:07pm CST by Rob DiRe

49ers and head coach Jim Harbaugh have agreed to mutually part ways, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports 1 (via Twitter). Harbaugh has coached his last game for the team, and is now free to pursue other employment.

Harbaugh was clear in his post-game press conference that he would not be returning in 2015, but allowed room for the team to release their statement before making any announcement himself, according to Dylan DeSimone of CSNAuthentic.com (via Twitter).

49ers’ CEO Jed York made a statement regarding the situation, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (via Twitter). “Jim and I have come to the conclusion that it is in our mutual best interest to move in different directions.” York is now looking towards his next coach, according to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (via Twitter). “We are now squarely focused on finding next head coach of 49ers … confident in Trent’s ability to lead that process.”

The 49ers are no longer responsible for paying the remainder of his contract, according to Garafolo (via Twitter). Of course, the team is also no longer entitled to compensation should Harbaugh take another NFL job.

Matt Miller of Bleacher Report remarks that the only way the 49ers would let him out of his contract is if he was going to Michigan for sure (via Twitter). He believes the team would not have agreed to this if there was a chance he would go to Oakland or another NFL team.

In response to questions about the Michigan job, Harbaugh announced that there will be an announcement made regarding his future, according to Dan Murphy of ESPN (via Twitter). Regarding whether he would miss the NFL if he left, Harbaugh was non-committal according to Nick Baumgardner of MLive Media Group (via Twitter). Harbaugh simply replied, “Is the NFL going somewhere?”

Jim Harbaugh Rumors: Sunday

December 28th, 2014 at 12:57pm CST by Dallas Robinson

There’s been no shortage of news regarding 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh — most recently, Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports reported that Harbaugh’s family is on its way to Ann Arbor, and that Harbaugh has accepted the Michigan job. But until the news is officially announced, we’ll keep track of the latest developments below:

People at Michigan believe that Harbaugh will be its head coach, and Harbaugh has reportedly reached to out to several assistant coaches to determine their interest in joining him at UM (Twitter links via SportsCenter).
The 49ers and Harbaugh will definitely part ways, and that may happen as soon as tomorrow, according to FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer (Twitter links). But nothing is definite between Harbaugh and Michigan, and although university officials are hopeful a deal will be struck, Raiders management still wants a shot at Harbaugh. Indeed, Adam Schefter of ESPN says (via Twitter) Oakland will make a “concerted effort” to convince Harbaugh to lead its club.
Michigan’s university plane is waiting in California for Harbaugh, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), who notes that if Harbaugh gets on said plane, it will be a clear indication he’s accepted the UM position.
The university sounds confident that it will reign in Harbaugh, as it is telling incoming recruits that it will have a new head coach by the middle of this week, tweets Schefter.
In the event that Harbaugh does land in Ann Arbor, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk wonders how long he’ll stay, given that each of his professional coaching stints have been short-lived. After spending two years with the Raiders, three with the University of San Diego, and four with Stanford, Harbaugh is wrapping up his fourth season with San Francisco.
49ers assistant coaches are still in limbo, as they haven’t been made aware of any decision by Harbaugh, according to Albert Breer of NFL.com (Twitter link).
In the unlikely event that Harbaugh declines Michigan’s offer, Rapoport says (Twitter link) to keep an eye on the Bears as a potential destination. However, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets that Chicago doesn’t make sense for Harbaugh, as the club has never paid a coach the salary that Harbaugh is looking for.

Jim Harbaugh Expected To Take Michigan Job

December 28th, 2014 at 12:04pm CST by Rob DiRe

12:04pm: A source tells Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports (Twitter link) that Harbaugh’s family is flying into Ann Arbor on Monday, yet another indication that he’ll be taking the Michigan coaching job.

SUNDAY, 8:31am: A slew of others have reported that Harbaugh is likely to take the Michigan gig, including Dave Feldman of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link), who says Harbaugh will be announced on Tuesday, and Feldman’s collegaue Matt Maiocco, who reports (Twitter link) that the 49ers have agreed to let Harbaugh of out his contract. Meanwhile, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report tweets that no deal has officially been signed, news which Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms (multiple Twitter links), noting that while Michigan’s plan is rein in Harbaugh and introduce him Tuesday, Harbaugh hasn’t informed the Raiders that he won’t accept their head coaching job, and hasn’t told close friends that he’s going to Ann Arbor.

SATURDAY: Our own Dallas Robinson wrote last night that there would be a resolution between Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers on the future of the two parties within 72 hours, and rumors of those decisions are already coming to the forefront. Two members of the 49ers staff and a third NFL source have said that they expect Harbaugh to accept the $48MM offer to become the next head coach at the University of Michigan, reports Jason Cole of Bleacher Report.

“That’s what everybody on staff believes is going to happen this week,” one of the sources said. “Jim has figured out that his style is best-suited for the college game. His shtick works better with young guys who are gone after three or four years.”

Cole also writes that Harbaugh will be bringing along several 49ers assistant coaches to Michigan, including Reggie Davis and John Morton.

Harbaugh had been pushing the 49ers toward paying closer in the range of $10MM per year for top level head coaches, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Florio surmises that if NFL teams are unwilling to increase head coach salaries as revenues increase, then Harbaugh would be best off heading to Michigan for a reported $8MM annual salary.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News has examined reports that Harbaugh and Michigan representatives were planning to meet. He cited a report by CBS5 Arizona’s Joe Pequeno that Michigan could announce their hire as early as Tuesday. It was known that Harbaugh was considering that Michigan offer, but there was also evidence that he would have preferred to stay in the NFL, presumably taking over with the Raiders or Dolphins.

Should Harbaugh return to coach his alma mater, that decision would likely be made very soon, as they would not be comfortable waiting as other great candidates found college jobs as the offseason progresses.

While a coach of his stature could have fetched a pretty nice trade haul at one point, Harbaugh’s value and the team’s leverage have deteriorated as it has become clear he would not return to the team in 2015. A PFR Poll posted by Ben Levine on Christmas asked what was the possible compensation the 49ers could receive, however nearly 45% of voters believed the team would release him from his contract without receiving anything in return.

If he leaves for Michigan, that is exactly what the 49ers will get back for him.

La Canfora’s Latest: Texans, Browns, Harbaugh

December 28th, 2014 at 9:23am CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s check out the latest from CBS Sports scribe Jason La Canfora:

The Texans are expected to make a change at general manager during the offseason, with current GM Rick Smith shifting into a new role that doesn’t involve football operations. Head coach Bill O’Brien will have significant input on who is hired to fill the position, and sources tell La Canfora that the club already has several candidates in mind. Patriots executive Nick Caserio would likely be O’Brien’s top choice, as the two worked together in New England. Other external options include the Eagles’ Tom Gamble and the Pats’ Jon Robinson, while internal candidates could include scouting director Mike Maccagnan and director of pro personnel Brian Gaine. Texans vice chariman Cal McNair has denied La Canfora’s report, tweets John McClain of the Houston Chronicle.
Meanwhile, changes could also be coming in Buffalo and Tennessee, writes La Canfora. Bills GM Doug Whaley doesn’t have a great relationship with head coach Doug Marrone, and given that the current Buffalo front office was responsible for the selection of E.J. Manuel, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the club completely overhaul its management team. Meanwhile, the Titans could opt to fire general manager Ruston Webster, and replace him with executive Lake Dawson.
The Browns are growing increasingly frustrated with both Josh Gordon and Johnny Manziel, sources tell La Canfora. Gordon, who was suspended for today’s game after missing a walkthrough on Saturday, will file a grievance against the team in order to maintain his free agent status after 2015. But Cleveland officials say Gordon “has to go,” although La Canfora says it’s unclear whether owner Jimmy Haslam is willing to trade the talented wideout. For his part, Manziel was also absent yesterday, and team security was forced to go to his house to retrieve him. The rookie quarterback reportedly threw a team party Friday night (which led to several Browns being late on Saturday), the latest questionable decision by a player who recently vowed to take the game more seriously.
Five clubs — the Raiders, Jets, 49ers, Falcons, and Bears — are expected to make coaching changes in the coming days. The Raiders still have their eye on Jim Harbaugh, but if he takes the Michigan job as expected, the club could bring in Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio. And while the 49ers are expected to look at some of the younger offensive coaches during their search, the Jets, Falcons, and Bears are looking to hire an established head coach, per La Canfora. Rex Ryan is an option in Atlanta, though if the Falcons lose today and miss the playoffs, general manger Thomas Dimitroff could be axed there. In Chicago, the club could look to reunite Mike Shanahan with Jay Cutler.
The Raiders will indeed attempt to make their pitch to Harbaugh, and would even engage in trade talks with the 49ers if possible. La Canfora notes (via Twitter) that NFL executives won’t believe Harbaugh has a deal with Michigan until it’s officially signed.
Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is a name to watch regarding head-coaching vacancies. La Canfora says sources have compared Autin’s rise to that of Mike Tomlin, who went from an unknown position coach to leading the Steelers in rapid time. Austin is expected to garner several interviews, including one with the Falcons.

Extra Points: Harbaugh, Draft, Titans, Pettis

December 26th, 2014 at 10:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The 49ers are expected to part ways with Jim Harbaugh in less than 72 hours, and interested parties are positioning themselves to land the successful, if controversial, head coach. According to Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports (Twitter link), the University of Michigan, which reportedly has a six-year, ~$50MM offer on the table, will send officials (and its search firm) to the Bay Area this weekend to meet with Harbaugh. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com confirms the Michigan news, and reports that the Raiders will also speak with Harbaugh this weekend (Twitter link). Rapoport also adds (via Twitter) that Harbaugh will resolve his situation with the 49ers before he meets with either entity. Here’s more from around the league…

Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net passes along the latest regarding NCAA draft entrants, reporting that while defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches of Southern Mississippi and running back Devontae Booker of Utah will likely enter the draft (Twitter links), Rutgers receiver Leonte Carr will likely return to school for another year (Twitter link).
Meanwhile, UCF receiver Breshad Perriman didn’t receive a top-three round grade from the NFL Draft Advisory Board, so he’s still considering whether or not to enter the draft, tweets Pauline.
With one week left in the NFL season, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap updates both the playoff odds and the favorites for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.
While the Titans will have a chance to draft either first or second in the 2015 NFL Draft, Zach Mettenberger believes the team already has the quarterback of its future, writes Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean. “There’s not another guy out there who can do what I can do and bring what I can bring to this game.,” said Mettenberger. “Obviously (the Titans) have seen how hard I work and know that I’m a gym rat, and know that I am going to continue to get better. Really all I can do is continue that and show that I am going to continue doing it.”
Ex-Rams receiver Austin Pettis, released by St. Louis on October 20, worked out for the Chargers today, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link). San Diego’s Keenan Allen is nursing a collarbone injury, so Pettis could provide some insurance at the WR position.
After releasing defensive tackle Travian Robertson earlier today, the Seahawks don’t plan on making a roster addition before Sunday’s contest, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Poll: What Could 49ers Get For Harbaugh?

December 25th, 2014 at 5:00pm CST by Ben Levine

We’ve seen plenty of reports that suggest that 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh is on his way out the door. Of course, the 51-year-old is still under contract, but it seems like the organization would be happiest trading Harbaugh for some future assets. The 49ers would certainly get something useful for the former AP Coach of the Year, but what could they reasonably expect to get in return?

Daniel Brown of InsideBayArea.com looked back at some of the previous coach trades in NFL history, and the compensation has hardly been consistent. Since 1997, six coaches have been traded for a variety of different picks:

Herm Edwards; Jets received a fourth-round pick from Chiefs
Jon Gruden; Raiders received two first-rounders, two-second rounders, and $8MM from Buccaneers
Dick Vermeil; Rams received a second-round pick, third-round pick, and $500K from Chiefs
Marty Schottenheimer; Chiefs received two third-rounders from Washington
Bill Belichick; Jets received a first-round pick and opportunity to swap picks from Patriots
Bill Parcells; Patriots received first-rounder, second-rounder and fourth-rounder from Jets

There appears to be three tiers of compensation for these trades: multiple first-rounders, a first-rounder and mid-round picks, and a collection of mid-round picks. The various trade packages depended on much more than the coach’s resume, but it’s interesting to compare Harbaugh’s credentials to those before him.

Half of the coaches were given away for middle-round picks, including Schottenheimer, who had compiled a .635 winning percentage in Kansas City, and Vermeil, who had won a Super Bowl only two years prior. Parcells had previously won a pair of championships when he was traded for a first-round pick, but Belichick had only put together a 36-44 when he was swapped for a first-rounder.

The real king’s ransom was the package that the Raiders received from the Buccaneers, which got them a pair of first-rounders and a pair of second-rounders. At the time, Gruden had a 38-26 record and two playoff appearances. Meanwhile, Harbaugh has a 43-19-1 regular season record, and he’s already coached his team to a Super Bowl and two NFC Championship appearances.

There’s a chance that the 49ers could end up with no compensation for their head coach. The team could ultimately decide to relieve Harbaugh of his duties, and such a move would likely precede the head coach moving to the NCAA. There’s also a chance that the two sides could improve their relationship and Harbaugh decides to stick around.

What do you think the 49ers could expect to get back for Harbaugh? Vote in the poll below, and feel free to discuss potential packages in the comment section.

NFC Links: Peppers, Long, McCoy

December 25th, 2014 at 3:06pm CST by Ben Levine

If you’ve been following our site, you’ll know that there’s been plenty of rumblings surrounding the future of 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh. Those rumors could certainly wear on a person, but the coach said that he’s ignored the constant whispers. He gave his strategy to Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com:

“The interesting thing is if you don’t look at the Internet and you don’t watch TV, you really do not know that it’s going on. That has been exactly what I have done. Put the focus on the week of preparation, put the focus on the players and the coaches and what we are trying to get done here. It works if you really don’t pick up.

“On the way home, you don’t turn on the talk radio and you don’t look at the Internet, you can be completely unaware that anything is swirling. I walk by people and I see their faces. I know something is going on.”

Let’s take a look at some more rumbling from the NFC…

While Packers general manager Ted Thompson usually is wary of aging players, Pete Dougherty of the Press-Gazette Media writes that the team shouldn’t move on from linebacker Julius Peppers. The Packers could cut the veteran without severe cap implications, but the writer believes Peppers has produced enough to stick around for at least another season.
John Mullin of CSNChicago.com writes that lineman Kyle Long‘s future position is likely offensive tackle (as opposed to his current guard position), but some of his Bears teammates resented that prediction. “Why would you move him to guard?” said Jay Ratliff . “He’s definitely one of the best. He comes off the ball hard pretty much every single snap and he knows how to make adjustments. A lot of guys come in and you can beat them with something over and over and over again…He adjusts automatically, realizes what he’s done wrong, and self-corrects, almost auto-corrects.”
LeSean McCoy made another Pro Bowl this season, but as Philly.com’s Zach Berman points out, the Eagles running back’s regular season success has never translated to the playoffs. Is the running back worried that he’ll never taste postseason success while in his prime? “I’m only 26; I’m not really sure,” McCoy said. “I’ve got a lot of years left, I feel like, with the way I play. I have a lot of stuff I want to accomplish. Individual and team goals. At the end of my career, I want to one day hopefully put that jacket on – and win a Super Bowl.”

Extra Points: Barkley, Raiders, Wagner

December 24th, 2014 at 9:35pm CST by Ben Levine

Let’s take a look at some assorted notes from around the league as we wrap up this Christmas Eve…

As Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com points out, the Cowboys owe the Ravens a sixth round pick to complete the Rolando McClain trade. Since the linebacker played more than 50 percent of his team’s defensive snaps, the Cowboys will send off their pick and receive a seventh-rounder in return.
Chip Kelly told reports that he believes quarterback Matt Barkley has a future with the Eagles, and Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that this would be a good weekend for the 24-year-old to prove his coach right.
Raiders quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo could be a “strong candidate” to become the next offensive coordinator for the University of Pittsburgh, according to Fox Sports (via ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson).
Cardinals coach Bruce Arians is among those questioning the 49ers for wanting to move on from Jim Harbaugh. “It’s very shocking to me,” Arians said (via Matt Maiocco CSNBayArea.com). “Jimmy’s done an unbelievable job. The fact that one bad season shouldn’t deter from what they’ve built there. And I think they have had pretty much everything you want culture-wise in place there. And the wins and losses speak for themselves.”
Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner drew interest from the Rams during the 2012 draft, and the third-year pro revealed that he was expecting to call St. Louis home. “I remember everything was great,” Wagner said (via ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner). “I talked to them before I knew they were very interested and I felt like if I wasn’t going to be in Seattle or whoever had the pick before that I was going to end there. I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I could definitely tell through the conversations that we were having and just the vibe that they really wanted me to be there. I actually got a text right before I got drafted by the Seahawks from the (Rams) linebackers coach, but I’m happy where I’m at.”

49ers Links: Harbaugh, Gore, Crabtree, Smith

December 24th, 2014 at 5:21pm CST by Ben Levine

Jim Harbaugh isn’t the only member of the 49ers organization whose future is in doubt. The assistant coaches are uncertain about their jobs next season as they wait for an inevitable coaching change. As Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes, Harbaugh will certainly take some of his assistants with him wherever he lands, but some others will have to hope that the next 49ers coach retains them.

“The last game’s always a little different when you know it’s your last game,” said defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. “But you know, when we’re in meetings as coaches, whether it’d just be us as a defensive staff or with the players, it’s normal. It’s just all the stuff around that everybody notices it to some different degrees than others. It’s just part of the deal.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the 49ers…

Daniel Brown of MercuryNews.com explores the potential complications of a Harbaugh trade. The writer suggests that the head coach could decide to play hardball and force the team to fire him if he doesn’t agree to be traded. Furthermore, Brown cites the NFL’s Anti-Tampering Policy, which states that “an employee under contract to a member club… who voluntarily resigns or retires prior to the expiration of his contract, is not free to discuss or accept employment with another NFL club without the consent of the prior-employer club.”
We previously heard that Harbaugh’s family was pushing for the coach’s move to Michigan, but his brother, John Harbaugh, disputes that report. “My dad and I both . . . I will say this: The report that said that his family is encouraging him to go to Michigan by Adam Schefter is absolutely incorrect,” he said (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com). “There has been no family that I know of that has given him any advice at all because that’s a personal decision. It’s his to make, and that’s just absolutely false. I don’t know where that came from, but it didn’t come from the Harbaughs.”
While the organization has apparently soured on Harbaugh, the coach’s lead running back has not. “He’s my best coach,” Frank Gore told Can Inman of MercuryNew.com (via Twitter). “I didn’t enjoy it here until we started winning. Since he’s been here, I’ve won.”
Gore also didn’t mince words when he was asked where he wants to play next season. “I want to be here,” the upcoming free agent said (via Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee). “I was raised here, man.”
Meanwhile, wideout Michael Crabtree is looking forward to free agency. “I’ve grown a lot, seen a lot and we’ve done a lot as a team,” Crabtree said (via Inman). “I feel I’ve contributed a lot to the team, and I can’t wait to see what’s the next chapter of my career, and to maximize my talent and my youth.”
49ers defensive end Justin Smith could retire this offseason, writes Maiocco. Of course, that doesn’t mean the organization doesn’t want him back. “We would welcome the opportunity to coach 94 one more season,” general manager Trent Baalke said. “And I think our fans would love to see 94 give it one more go. Whether he’s going to do that or not is really his decision. He’s earned that right to go out on his terms and I’m sure he’ll make the right decision for him and his family.”

Coaching Rumors: Raiders, Harbaugh, Jets

December 24th, 2014 at 9:44am CST by Luke Adams

Teams around the NFL will celebrate Christmas tomorrow, but a more noteworthy “holiday” looms for a number of coaches and club executives, with Black Monday right around the corner. Here’s the latest on a handful of coaches and coaching situations across the league:

Having recently spoken to Raiders owner Mark Davis, Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News says the team has yet to conduct any interviews for potential head coaches yet, adding that the process will likely get underway next Monday and Tuesday (Twitter links).
Jim Harbaugh figures to draw interest from the Raiders, and Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report hears from several team officials that there’s still “great interest” in the 49ers’ head coach. However, Freeman cautions that interest has decreased slightly, as teams have done their homework on Harbaugh. While his coaching talent isn’t being questioned, clubs may be wary of Harbaugh’s “tendency to burn out people around him quickly,” writes Freeman. The Bleacher Report scribe adds that sources view Harbaugh’s odds of landing with an NFL team vs. coaching at the University of Michigan as a 50/50 proposition.
Clarifying a report from last night, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News tweets that the Jets haven’t actually reached out to Ron Wolf about a consulting role yet, but Charley Casserly has. Mehta adds that there’s a “growing sense” that general manager John Idzik and head coach Rex Ryan will both be let go at season’s end.
Speaking of Ryan, the current Jets coach may be out of work a week from now, but he still believes he’ll eventually win a Super Bowl as a head coach, as Dan Martin of the New York Post details.

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