The San Francisco 49ers continue to ride out their disastrous season with major moves expected to be done once the 2016 NFL season is over. The jobs of Trent Baalke and Chip Kelly are in shallow waters and both could see themselves cut.
Supporting that belief is the fact that the team owners plan to take a major role after this season. That includes a major overhaul covering the team – top to bottom. Between Baalke and Kelly, the former’s status seems to be more in peril.
Baalke did survive the power struggle involving former coach Jim Harbaugh previously. Unlike its fate right now, the 49ers made three straight NFC title games three years ago, the NY Post reported.
Then again, Kelly is not totally in the clear. There is talk that Mike Shanahan could be coming on board soon. His position remains sketchy though it could be as an executive or a coach. That said, either Baalke or Kelly could get axed (if not both), Yardbarker reported.
One thing that supports the coming of the 64-year-old Shanahan is that he holds close ties with the York family. With Denise and John York reportedly taking a more active role, a complete revamp seems imminent.
For Kelly, a year of coaching with an unstable team could be an unfair assessment on what he can do for the 49ers. But then again, new management may not also help – meaning it may be best for him to move on.
The word out is that Kelly may return to the college ranks. He established a good reputation in Oregon so a return is not remote. If not, he could move on to other teams as well looking to change coaches.
The Los Angeles Rams recently fired coach Jeff Fisher, something best termed by COO Kevin Demoff as an organizational failure. John Fassel has been installed on an interim basis with no word yet on who the Rams will name as their next head coach. Could Kelly be in the running?
