49ers release Mariucci from final year of contract -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ESPN.com Steve Mariucci is out as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. 49ers general manager Terry Donahue told ESPN.com's John Clayton today that Mariucci has been released from the final year of his contract and no longer is the team's head coach. Sources told Clayton that there were philosophical differences between Mariucci and John York, the owner's representative, about Mariucci's role within the organization. Sources said that Mariucci had been asking for the title of vice president of football operations. Former Vikings coach Dennis Green and 49ers defensive coordinator Jim Mora Jr. might be candidates to replace Mariucci. After Sunday's playoff loss to the Bucs, York reiterated that the 49ers wanted Mariucci to return for the 2003 season. At the time, Mariucci was also adamant that he wants to coach the team next season -- even if the two sides could not agree on an extension. Unfreaking believable. I grew up a huge 49ers fan (behind the Oilers of course) and this organization is making a STUPID move!
But Green will want GM duties as well. Terry Donahue will just find himself in another power struggle. Coughlin wouldn't fit here either, in my opinion. His antics have worn out in this league. Dumping Mariucci was the most idiotic move in my mind. Jacksonville just became the luckiest team around. I wonder if Cincy is regretting hiring Lewis yesterday? I think Jim Mora Jr. is the way to go. He won't ask for the front office power that a head coach with former experience will want.
A "stupid move" ? Personally, I think Mariucci is a mediocre coach at best. However, the Niners played pretty well this season, given their defensive and special teams weren't that great IMO, and they never really had a kicker. Still, I was amazed at how poorly he coached his team against Tampa Bay. Electing to kneel the ball at their own 40 with under a minute left with two timeouts was one of the worst ideas I have ever seen in a playoff game in a long time. Then, in the 4th quarter, down 25, they decided to run the ball to Hearst about 5-6 times, which was amazingly dumb, IMO. Of course, they probably would have lost the game anyways, but sometimes I don't think he has a clue of how to coach in certain situations. Losing him is not a big deal for the SF organization.
The guy took a team from salary cap hell and put them in the playoffs for 4 years. People tend to forget just how badly Seifert left this team... All those renegotiated contracts in the early 1990s with aged veterans came tumbling down at once in the late 90s. Mariucci was able to paste the team together and give them plenty of winning seasons. I think it's dumb because there's no one really better out there right now. If Lewis was still available, I might (MIGHT) reconsider my stance.
The Niners are a joke, Mariucci has never had any control over that team. TO is only about himself, They let Charlie Garner go and haven't decided on which RB they want yet, The Defense is still a mess.
I dispise the 49ers almost as bad as I do the Cowboys.... This was a terrible terrible terrible decision. The man took a team who lost Rice, Young, and half of their team due to the salary cap and had no wait for their rebuild. People were claiming "years" were going to be needed. It took him one.
