San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers Won't Find a Better Head Coach than Chip Kelly in 2017

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly might be on the hot seat this season. But CEO Jed York won’t exactly be able to land a better option in 2017 if Kelly is dismissed after the year is over.

Good or bad, Chip Kelly is likely going to be the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers in 2017.

49ers

Niner Noise 13h49ers' Kaepernick selling His San Jose Home

More headlines around FanSided:

16h - Why 49ers RB Carlos Hyde Is the X-Factor vs. Bears 19h - 2017 NFL Free Agency: Likely Landing Spots For Top Names 1 d - 5 Wide Receivers the 49ers May Target in 2017 Free Agency 1 d - 49ers must address receivers in 2017 offseason 1 d - San Francisco 49ers: Winners & Losers over the Disastrous 2016 SeasonMore News at Niner Noise

And the simple reason is the Niners won’t have any other options that would expect to produce better results.

San Francisco is currently 1-10 and riding the longest losing streak in franchise history. The record alone would be enough to get many head coaches fired. And the thought 2016 was supposed to be a year in which a young Niners team showed improvement over last season only fuels the argument about Kelly not being the right fit.

Indeed, Kelly may not be the answer. He has a tarnished reputation from his days with the Philadelphia Eagles. One could easily argue the rest of the NFL has caught up to his uptempo offense and, more specifically, how it puts his own defense at risk.

Yes, the 49ers are still dead last on that side of the ball.

Cleaning house could easily be the answer. It’s something Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller suggested not long ago:

I said after Week 2 that the 49ers should clean house. GM, coach…everyone. https://t.co/qQhgQvRokD

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) October 26, 2016

OK, maybe that’s a needed step. But it also opens up a problem. Who replaces Kelly?

No 49ers Consistency

Should Kelly be fired, the Niners would be searching for their fourth head coach in as many years. It’s not a good look at all.

Before we get into how this would turn away potential candidates, just think about how this affects the players.

Continuity in a young player’s development is critical. Imagine being taught how to do any certain thing, then relearning it a different way year after year from that point forward. Frustrating, isn’t it?

Well, that’s what would happen in Santa Clara. So while Kelly might not be the ideal answer, at least keeping him around a few seasons would let the young crop of current 49ers players develop at the same level for more than just one year.

January 20, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Chip Kelly (left) and San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke (right) pose for a photo in a press conference after naming Kelly as the new head coach for the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

A Chip Kelly Firing Would Turn off Other Coaches

The 49ers are already a less-than-desirable destination for any head coaching candidate. Think about some of the other teams around the league with head coaches on the proverbial hot seat.

Head coach Jeff Fisher is an example. But his Los Angeles Rams have rookie quarterback Jared Goff and standout running back Todd Gurley with whom to work, not to mention a solid defense. And it’s L.A.

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis could be on the hot seat this year. But the Bengals have been perennial playoff contenders before this season, so any coach would see that as a likable opportunity.

In all likelihood, any other NFL opening this offseason is probably going to be a better landing spot than the 49ers, especially considering how quickly CEO Jed York has been willing to show coaches the door.

Would you think a hotly pursued candidate, like New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, would choose San Francisco and the mess it currently has on its hands? Probably not.