Yesterday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk refuted a report by Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports that forecast a massive shakeup within the San Francisco 49ers organization and, based on sources, called it completely false. Today, La Canfora had a chance to respond and did so on KNBR 680 this morning.
"The report was that it's very likely that the general manager [Trent Baalke] is fired," said La Canfora. "They will bring someone in that decides what happens with the coach. They're discussing different management structures. Some believe, ultimately, the parents may have more of a say than Jed [York] and who comes in and oversees football operations and Mike Shanahan is someone that they've talked to in the past who people are connecting to that job.
"Never said Mike Shanahan was getting hired there. Said it could be Mike Shanahan, could be a number of other people who come in there and run football operations. But really what I was reporting was they're looking for new GMs and that GM will be able to chart the course for football operations. Is it possible that that person also has an EVP title and the buck stops with them in football operations and not Jed York or not someone else in the York family? That remains to be seen, but they're contemplating changes."
La Canfora went on to discuss the issues with bringing in top talent considering the current situation surrounding the 49ers. "If you're going to try to get an A-list person in there," he said. "If you're going to try to make the case on why they should come to you and not the Indianapolis Colts, potentially, with Andrew Luck, or not the LA Rams with Jared Goff and the beautiful stadium that they're building and the glitz of LA and whatever else might attract you to them, then what's the role?
"Who exactly am I working for and who can I bring with me? What if I don't want to work with those people but I can bring these people in to do those same jobs and they would report to me but maybe wouldn't report to you? You know what I mean? It's a negotiation. I think all that remains to be seen."
La Canfora restated that the fate of head coach Chip Kelly will depend on the person that they bring in to oversee football operations and if that person wants to work with Kelly or use his offensive system. La Canfora does not believe that it is a given that the current coaching staff is back next year.
There have been a lot of rumors stating that Tom Gamble would be the logical choice to take over for Baalke should he be fired. "He would be the name inside, but everything I've heard is that they will be talking to people outside that building and that it will be a legitimate search," La Canfora said. He went on to say that it is possible that at the end, the decision could come back to Gamble, who would have no problem working with Kelly as his head coach.
As for Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, the son of Mike Shanahan, La Canfora believes that he will be an NFL head coach. "He's going to merit strong consideration for head coaching opportunities," he said. "Knowing him a little bit and the way things ended in Washington, and what have you, I think he'll be particular about where he goes."
La Canfora went on to say that Kyle Shanahan is in a better position than guys like Hue Jackson, who were going to take any head coaching job they can get. Shanahan will be able to choose his next job and look at the situation within the organization and determine if it is a place where he can be successful.
At the end of the interview, La Canfora was asked about "competing with guys like Mike Florio." Does he like to take shots back if someone like Florio tries to call him out? "It is what it is," La Canfora answered as he laughed. "I report what I report and he can report what he reports and that's the beauty of America, right?"
You can listen to the entire interview on KNBR 680.
