San Francisco 49ers: Is The Patriot Way Approaching?
By Erik Lambert
The San Francisco 49ers are the last team standing in terms of not yet having hired a head coach for the upcoming 2017 season.
Everywhere else from Denver, to San Diego, to Los Angeles, to Buffalo and Jacksonville have found their guys. Meanwhile the 49ers wait. No head coach. No general manager. It appears owner Jed York is choosing to stay patient this time around. Not a surprise after his team just got done firing three head coaches in a span of three seasons. Something that is really difficult to comprehend, even in this modern and impatient NFL.
York wants to get it right this time and is willing to wait until he’s covered all possibilities. That means waiting until coordinators and assistants from teams still in the playoffs are available. On the other hand some believe he’s simply keeping the seat warm for somebody he already has his heart set on.
Last remaining Coach opening 49ers. Coincidentally also has GM vacancy. Will 49ers be patient on choice? Sounds like it's Josh McDaniels.
— Chad Forbes (@NFLDraftBites) January 13, 2017
Albert Breer of the Monday Morning Quarterback concurred with this sentiment.
"“Josh McDaniels has had the inside track, and my understanding is that he preferred the Niners’ situation to the other two he interviewed for, because this is a from-the-ground-up situation. No bad contracts, pick your own QB, high draft picks… it’s basically like an expansion team. And there’ll be a new GM coming with you, too. If McDaniels gets the job, it could be Lou Riddick filling that role.”"
More recent developments indicate that York would be willing to let the new head coach choose his own GM to work with. Riddick of course is an option, others have suggested Patriots Director of Player Personnel Nick Caserio is the obvious choice. Combine that with the ongoing belief that McDaniels is very interested in trading for Jimmy Garoppolo, the plan is quite clear.
San Francisco is hoping to instill a team culture from the ground up to reflect the New England Patriots. It sounds corny, but the NFL has always been a copycat league. There has been no more successful organization in professional football for the past 17 years than the Patriots. Bringing in two guys who have seen how it all works for over a decade along with a young quarterback they know how to build around? It’s a logical idea with plenty of promise.
Whether it’s true and whether the 49ers can stay patient over the next month is the big question.