Former NFL running back Brandon Jacobs’ time with the 49ers was short lived and rocky. He had only five carries during his lone season in 2012, and was eventually released for complaining about his playing time on social media.
While most have likely forgotten that Jacobs was even on the team, he certainly hasn’t. Jacob’s told CBS Sports Radio on Friday that then head coach of the 49ers, Jim Harbaugh, didn’t know what he was doing when it came to x’s and o’s, and that the assistant coaches deserved most of the credit for the team’s success.
“Jim, I had a lot of respect for Jim when I was there – before I got to know him,” Jacobs said. “I enjoyed my time there, but we didn’t see eye-to-eye. I knew a little bit more about football than what they led on.
“Going somewhere where they don’t have route conversions into certain coverages was just absurd,” Jacobs said. “They’re just running routes in the defense, getting people killed. Size and strength is what they had, and that’s why they won. Let’s be real. They had great assistant coaches, but Jim didn’t know what he was doing. Jim had no idea. Jim is throwing slants into Cover-2 safeties, getting people hurt. That guy knew nothing, man.”
The 49ers finished 11-4-1 in 2012, and made it to the Super Bowl where they lost to the Baltimore Ravens. Harbaugh finished his tenure in San Francisco in 2014 where he compiled a 49–22–1 (.688) record in four seasons, and won coach of the year in 2011.
Jacobs rejoined the New York Giants (his longtime team) the next season and retired after appearing in seven games.