
CEO Jed York stopped before entering the 49ers’ Santa Clara offices on Friday.
He waited several moments and then approached a handful of reporters who were there to cover the team’s final practice before Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Rams.
After some pleasantries and talk about the birth of his second son, York was asked about addressing some football matters.
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He said this was not the time. But, he added, he would speak to the media about the direction of the 49ers at some point in the future.
And with that prologue, we open another edition of 49ers Mailbag from questions posted on our Facebook page . . .
Why is Jed saying he doesn't want to talk about football during football season? Isn't that the best time to talk about football? (Vince Rodriguez)
York suggested he did want to be a distraction to coach Jim Tomsula, the rest of the coaching staff and the players with nine games remaining in the season.
I'm assuming he believes there's nothing to gain from talking about football matters during the season when he has no answers. The 49ers are 2-5, and they had no chance in four of those defeats.
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Of course, this is a major fall from being one of the NFL’s elite teams over a three-year period with Jim Harbaugh as head coach. There are questions to be asked about the team's disappearance from relevancy in the NFL.
The organization is short on answers.
After all, York would face obvious questions about Tomsula and his coordinators, general manager Trent Baalke and quarterback Colin Kaepernick. What is he going to say?
[RELATED: York does not want to talk football during season]
If he says those individuals are performing for their jobs over the final nine games of the season then that’s going to blow up into a huge story. And many will then wonder why York doesn’t just shut up.
He could say that any or all of those individuals are safe and will be back with the organization in 2016, but that does not seem to be the case, either. It seems unrealistic that a blanket statement on job security of some of the key individuals could be made with more than half of the regular season remaining.
Is York being consistent? Probably not. After all, it was on Thanksgiving night last year that York went public with an apology on Twitter to the fans who witnessed the team’s lackluster performance against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium.
However, it’s also possible – or likely, even -- York had already made a decision about the future of the organization at that moment. So whereas he might not currently know what direction the 49ers will head in the future, it’s a good bet he already knew his course of action when he sent that apology to the fans.
Obviously, York would also be asked about whether he regrets not signing Harbaugh to a contract extension. In speaking with a lot of people close to York and those in the front office, there does not seem to be any regret. It was a working relationship that had soured and the perception was that it was only going to worsen. Things have worked out pretty well for Harbaugh, who landed at his alma mater and has willed Michigan back into national prominence.
But he certainly would not be able to act defiant in defending the decision to part ways with Harbaugh. That would only prompt more vitriol from the angered masses.
There is little question the 49ers' downward spiral began last season. But it’s also clear that Harbaugh was not the sole reason for the drop-off. There was a lot of blame to go around – beginning at the top and trickling down to an under-performing team that seemed to be physically breaking down.
The 49ers thought their roster would be deep enough to absorb some of the big hits of the offseason. But they were not prepared for the surprise retirements of Patrick Willis, Chris Borland and Anthony Davis.
This season was lost in the offseason, carrying over to the training camp dismissal of pass-rusher Aldon Smith. Those offseason months are the most important time of the year for the individuals upstairs. Once the season begins, it’s all about the coaches and the players.
You asked the question, so I’m trying to answer it. York did not say all of that on Friday, of course. But that is my guess why York promised to speak at some point. Right now, there’s nothing he can say. The team’s performance on the field is speaking for the entire organization.
Will Baalke be getting his pink slip anytime soon? (Gary Rice)
There will be shakeups unless the 49ers show dramatic improvement and make a strong case that the coaching staff and roster are set up well for the future.
But if this season continues like it’s going, Tomsula, Kaepernick, offensive coordinator Geep Chryst, defensive coordinator Eric Mangini and general manager Trent Baalke are the individuals who have the most to lose.
The three coaches – Tomsula, Chryst and Mangini – have built up no credit. They are in their first seasons in their current roles, and the team will have to assess whether they are cut out for their jobs.
Kaepernick had an outstanding second half to the 2012 season after taking over for Alex Smith. He has a Super Bowl appearance and some big playoff victories to his credit. But he has never been under strong consideration for a Pro Bowl. But look around the NFL. Kaepernick might not be playing at a high level, but he’s still better than about one-third of starting quarterbacks around the league. He has accomplished more than most starting quarterbacks in the league.
Baalke is the one person who has built up some credit and would seem likely to survive a significant downturn. Baalke was named NFL Executive of the Year for his work in 2011, and the roster he assembled the previous four seasons was generally regarded as one of the top outfits in the league.
Yes, it’s been well-documented that this year’s free-agent class has not been productive. And Baalke has not experienced much success drafting at the end of the first round. But it seems likely that York will be patient with Baalke and give this roster a chance to mature before doing anything dramatic.