NFL Spin Zone
Fansided

How can San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York be held accountable?

By Brian Spaen

facebooktwitterreddit

“Accountable” was the word of the day when San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke addressed the media on the aftermath of the “mutual agreement” to end things with former head coach Jim Harbaugh. Unfortunately, that press conference just left more fans angered and frustrated as it provided no closure. It left everyone with more questions looking forward to the franchise’s future.

While York said that he would remember Harbaugh’s time “very fondly” with the 49ers, he cited “philosophical differences” between him and the head coach. He repeated multiple times that the goal was to win a Super Bowl, and it ultimately didn’t happen under Harbaugh.

The owner admitted that while all sides should have blame for not reaching the goal, fingers should point to him as he’s the one responsible for everything. He also stated that he should have had his hands to the team more. Those “philosophical differences” escalated as the years went on, and he said that the decision to part ways happened after the 49ers were out of playoff contention when losing to the Seattle Seahawks for a second time.

There are multiple problems with York’s position on these issues. He’s telling everyone that people need to be held accountable — including himself. How exactly is the owner going to be held accountable when he does the hiring and firing? York isn’t going to remove himself from power.

York also brought up the criticism he’s seen on Twitter, but he doesn’t receive the same vitriol in person. That happens to everyone, from owners to celebrities to even your bloggers on Fansided that hang out on the social media giant. It’s much easier to toss out criticism and, to a lower level that’s never acceptable, throw personal jabs. Never in person.

York’s been on the other side with a history of “subtweeting.” For example, the tweet he had after Thanksgiving issuing an apology to the fans and saying the “performance wasn’t acceptable.”

Perhaps the owner should apologize to the fans for unnecessary drama that unfolded throughout the 2014 season that ultimately crushed this team. Having a 50-minute press conference with York defending his actions, Baalke continuing to add zero substance and taking shots at the media as usual, and absolutely zero talk about football (outside of the most general evaluation of Colin Kaepernick ever) is enough evidence to show that York probably needs to do some self-assessment.

December 28, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh addresses the media in a press conference after the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi

York sent a horrible message to Harbaugh after giving him free reign with the 49ers. The head coach changed the culture of the team and they had early success. Who knows when York changed his mind and wanted more control, but he certainly has it now. He has to convince a head coach to come into a situation where things have to be ran his way and the fans demand a Super Bowl immediately.

San Francisco’s owner comes off more as an athletic director at a university than an owner when it came to wanting a “teacher” as a head coach, and someone that did things with “class.” York should probably look in the mirror when talking about class, as the 49ers organization was ran with anything but since the news came out that Harbaugh could be traded to the Cleveland Browns after an NFC Championship loss.

The irony is that York tossed out a guy that will be a teacher when he’s at Michigan. Harbaugh definitely turned off some players in the locker room, and trying to install a spread offense to make Kaepernick more of a passer ultimately didn’t pan out. That’s the only real criticism on a head coach that was supposed to have an offensive mentality and who had deep ties with offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who also faced criticism among 49ers fans and left with Harbaugh to Michigan. Those issues could have been worked out, but York made it hard for Harbaugh and pulled the plug on it early instead.

Faulting Harbaugh on putting Aldon Smith back on the field shortly after his DUI arrest in 2013? Keep that internal. If York gave the head coach power to make decisions like that in the past, respect previous rules laid out and work with Harbaugh on that in the future. Harbaugh’s rule was to win. At least Harbaugh spoke about player issues, unlike Baalke who admittedly hates discussing about mistakes and hardly puts an effort to entertain a weekly radio spot.

Numbers, such as Harbaugh’s record (49-22-1) compared to the 49ers’ previous three coaches (45-83), three NFC Championship appearances with one Super Bowl appearance, and close competition that gave the head coach power and succeeded (Pete Carroll at Seattle) has put York in a dire situation.

The owner now has the power that Harbaugh once had, and if he wants to be held accountable, he better live up to it. York can’t sit in the same seat two years from now, fire the new head coach and the GM, and point the finger at himself again. If the future doesn’t see quick success, York needs to be accountable and hand off the power to someone that knows how to make better decisions.

Source: 49ers Hot Read / Mercury News

More from NFL Spin Zone