Timing is everything in life, and right now Chip Kelly has found himself on the short end of the stick.
If 12 losses in a row weren’t dreadful enough, the two most disgraceful of the defeats have happened in December. The most memorable play in a 26-6 loss in Chicago was the team being penalized for snow angels, while a sleepwalking Jets team managed to beat San Francisco in the final five minutes of the game.
Rock bottom really hasn’t happened yet. There’s a chance the Falcons hang 50 points on the 49ers this Sunday in Atlanta. They’ve scored 40 or more on four separate occasions this weekend.
The question for the York family that’s been rigorously debated on KNBR’s airwaves this week is whether keeping Chip Kelly is worth it.
The almost unanimous consensus is that GM Trent Baalke will lose his job. But Kelly’s future is the real conundrum here, so we thought we’d put together a pros and cons list for the York family.
Pro for keeping Kelly:
The one thing Trent Dilfer got right the other day was when he said Chip Kelly’s system does not match Trent Baalke’s personnel. Because he went 10-6 twice in Philadelphia, Kelly deserves a full season with a legitimate NFL starting quarterback, an actual wide receiving corps and a defense who doesn’t allow a 100-yard rusher nearly every time it steps out onto the field. Greg Cosell mentions it all the time: Kelly has been scheming plays to get people open, the 49ers just haven’t been able to execute.
Con for keeping Kelly:
How can you let a man who piloted the worst season in franchise history back next season? What happens when Kelly goes 5-11/6-10 in 2017? If you are keeping Kelly, understand that the struggles aren’t just going to magically disappear next season. The 49ers aren’t a Deshaun Watson or Myles Garrett away from challenging the Seahawks for the NFC West. Keeping Kelly means you are committing to him and his philosophy of football — kind of a scary thought considering his last two years here and in Philadelphia. If the Yorks are going to chop off his head in January of 2018, they might as well do it now.
Pro for keeping Kelly:
The 49ers will officially become the Cleveland Browns if you “part ways” with three head coaches in three straight seasons. You label yourself a toxic wasteland and top candidates like New England’s Josh McDaniels and Atlanta’s Kyle Shanahan may not even consider interviewing — let alone taking a job in San Francisco working for Jed York. If the CEO does fire Kelly, he will almost have to automatically bring in a well-respected VP of football operations, well, if he cares about any shred of credibility with his 49ers customer base. If you fire Kelly, there is a chance the next coach you hire will have inherent flaws.
Con for keeping Kelly:
Is Chip Kelly a good football coach anymore? Poor roster or not, he hasn’t been able to put his stamp on this team. Keeping him because you want to avoid looking like the Cleveland Browns is not a firm way to build your business. Further, if the Yorks demand that Kelly fire Jim O’Neil for the team’s 32nd ranked defense, the head coach has shown no ability that A) He can attract a quality replacement defensive coordinator or B) That he’ll focus more of his attention on a side of the football that have plagued his teams in the NFL. Defense looks like it could be a recurring problem if Kelly is here for the duration of his four-year contract. It’s a given that some head coaches are offensive minds and some are defensive minds, but the 49ers — after leaning on defense to get to a Super Bowl — could choose to go in a different direction because of this fear.
Pro for keeping Kelly:
Kelly’s personality was one of his main issues in Philadelphia. In San Francisco, it’s turned into one of his greatest strengths. Maybe the warmer California air opened up his heart, but most 49ers players adore Kelly, and I would guess a few would lash out if Kelly does indeed get fired. I wrote in September his handling of the Colin Kaepernick protest was one of his greatest coaching achievements. Jim Harbaugh had a ferocious relationship with the front office, Jim Tomsula was aloof. The 49ers could like the mellowness of Chip.
Con for keeping Kelly:
Kelly has made players comfortable — but maybe too comfortable? As Steve Young pointed out, there are no veteran locker room leaders lashing out about the team’s 12 game losing streak. Why not? Kelly doesn’t really require it. “I think that’s overrated. I think part of being a good leader is being able to articulate your vision. You don’t have to be a yeller or a screamer to do that. There’s been different types of leaders as you go through and look at the history. Some guys are very vocal. Other guys don’t have to raise their voice at all and everybody listens to them.” Can Kelly rock the boat a little more in the locker room in 2017 without having his players turn against him?