Nobody forced Bruce Miller to write these words.
In his own personal story chronicled on Chat Sports, the 49ers hybrid tight end professed his undying adoration for San Francisco’s former head coach.
“Jim Harbaugh is my favorite coach that I’ve ever had, and I thrived under his leadership. He was an outstanding teacher with an unrivaled knowledge of the game. He brought energy that most coaches just don’t have, and really knew how to get the most out of his players.
“Coach Harbaugh lives and breathes football. He loved football so much that he simply couldn’t contain himself or hold it in. In meetings and at practice, he was exactly the way he appeared on the sidelines as games — full of emotion and intensity. He set the tone for the entire team, and the expectation that every player would be equally as focused.”
All of this is true. It’s okay to revere your former coach, especially one that led the 49ers on prominent postseason runs.
But call me crazy — doesn’t it seem weird to glowingly write about Harbaugh when Chip Kelly is your current coach? Especially considering Miller is not a lock for the roster. It’s not like Kelly is going to read this and have some personal vendetta against Miller. Perhaps Miller is trying to communicate to the 49ers front office the mistake they made in letting Harbaugh go. Miller probably isn’t alone with this sentiment. It’s scary that the 49ers’ locker room would hold a grudge over Harbaugh’s departure a full two seasons later.
Miller continued in his essay, essentially taking a shot at Jim Tomsula without name dropping.
“A coach’s philosophy is the driving force behind the team. His attitude sets the standard for his players and creates an environment that’s easy to work in. There simply has to be a fit between the personality of the coach the personality of the team. Without that fit, the team will struggle.”
Could those be foreshadowing words from Miller about Kelly? Training camp will give us our first glimpses into how the 49ers are adopting Kelly’s persona.
Miller joined the Ted Ramey show on Wednesday. While admitting everything is different under Kelly, Miller liked how competitive the practices were.
Tune in below.