Mike Shanahan: I can't believe that the 49ers are still barking up this tree. Shanahan is a has been. His failure with Robert Griffin III in Washington proved that. Shanahan shouldn't even get a glimpse of consideration, but unfortunately the 49ers are leaving the door at least slightly ajar for him.
John DeFilippo: I like DeFilippo. I just don't think he's the right guy for a head coaching job yet. I don't know how much of the interview with him was actually about the head coaching job. He could very well come in as the OC of a Tom Coughlin staff and take over once Coughlin calls it quits in a few years. Under Coughlin's teachings, DeFilippo could be a great HC in the years to come. 49ers would definitely enjoy knowing that their next coach is already in the organization.
Anthony Lynn: Lynn may be a little like DeFilippo. Not ready for a HC job yet, but could be in a few years. However, he is already the assistant coach to Rex Ryan, who he is loyal to. I think he could be the successor to Ryan somewhere. His area of expertise is running backs, which is something I like. I would be intrigued to see if he could lead Carlos Hyde to a whole new level.
Dirk Koetter: Koetter seems destined for the Tampa Bay job, but that didn't stop the 49ers from talking to him. Koetter's work with Jameis Winston this year was something that is marveled around the league. Seeing him take a crack at retooling Kaepernick would be nice to see.
Chip Kelly: Kelly's name hasn't come up much on the coaching carousel, and I can't understand why. Sure, he was power hungry and was demanding, but I think he could learn from those mistakes. Plus, you gotta admit that going 10-6 in each of his first 2 seasons wasn't bad. He is also said to love Kaepernick, so there could be a fit there. Kaepernick is the exact QB Kelly wants for his system. He didn't get that in Philly with the likes of Foles, Sanchez, and Bradford. Now, people say he doesn't connect with players well. True that it does bring up a red flag, it's definitely a problem that can be fixed.
Hue Jackson: Jackson was my top candidate just a couple of days ago. Now, not so much. It seems that the 49ers interest in him has faltered quite a bit. Hue Jackson led the Raiders to 8-8 a few years back (granted they started 7-4), and then was canned pretty quickly by the Raiders. He later did fabulous work with Andy Dalton in Cincinnati after Jay Gruden left for the job in DC. Now, he is a hot coaching candidate. With an outstanding ability to lead men and some smarts to go with it, it's easy to see why he's wanted. Didn't really get the chance to succeed in Oakland, but his next team shouldn't be so impatient. Will it be the 49ers? Who knows.
Tom Coughlin: Coughlin left the Giants on what seemed like okay terms. Not good, but okay. Since, he's interviewed for some head coaching jobs, including the 49ers. The 2-time Super Bowl champion coach had some great success in the Giants organization, fulfilling the ultimate underdog story not just once, but twice. His wins over the Patriots in 2 Super Bowls where the odds were way out of their favor are something we may never forget. Coughlin's ability to coach in tough spots made those happen. Now 69 years old, the guy says he's still got fire in him to coach. I think he's just what the 49ers need. The experience, the loyalty, the attitude he brings are all something the team needs to thrive. When Coughlin speaks, people listen. That wasn't the case with Tomsula. Bringing in someone like him would be a shot in the arm for the organization. Baalke and Coughlin's shared connection to Bill Parcells definitely help as well. Coughlin also has a connection to DeFilippo, who, as I said before, could be brought into the organization as the successor to Coughlin.
If I had to guess who the 49ers would bring in, I'd say Coughlin. However, I was already convinced once that it was going to be Kelly, and once that it was going to be Jackson, so I've been unstable in that regard. 49ers could really surprise us here. Isn't that always the way it goes? You think you know what will happen, then nope, it doesn't. We should know within the coming days who the coach will be.
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