It was pretty easy to shrug off Deion Sanders’ comments about Jim Harbaugh losing the locker room, because he’s a caricature. He’s in the media, but most of us would still trust his coverage skills in the defensive secondary over his coverage of league news.
Jay Glazer is a different story, and he’s been on this Harbaugh thing for a while. He’s a little ridiculous with all the MMA stuff, submarine sandwich commercials and the way he always seems to be IN YOUR FACE, but he also gets more exclusive scoops than anyone else.
From The Big Lead:
Jay Glazer was on FOX’s NFL pregame show a few minutes ago, and dropped a big bit of scoopage about the 49ers. “I don’t see any way Jim Harbaugh comes back next year as the head coach of the 49ers,” Glazer said, reiterating a point that he’s been making since Week 1. “Even if they hoist the Lombardi.”
Adam Schefter, Glazer’s main competition, added this earlier today:
At this point it probably doesn’t matter who’s talking to Glazer or Schefter. With all this smoke, there’s almost certainly going to be a firing at the end of the season. Or a trade. Or Harbaugh will quit. However it goes down, both sides (Harbaugh and the 49ers front office) seem entrenched. It’s been a good run, but we’re probably coming up on the last 12+ games of Harbaugh’s head coaching tenure with the 49ers.
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If I can get into “hunch mode” a little bit, I don’t see Harbaugh going to Michigan after this season *unless* he wins a Super Bowl. I’ve said it a few times, and I still believe this: Harbaugh leaving the NFL without a ring would be akin to telling the world that he couldn’t hack it in the same coaching world as Pete Carroll or his brother.
I don’t see him leaving for Oakland, either. If Harbaugh turned the Raiders around, the Yorks would get blasted on a daily basis by everyone in the region. Raiders fans would laugh. 49ers fans would cry (and curse). The media would be as happy as a pig in slop (to borrow one of Harbaugh’s favorite phrases). Also, we have no indication as of yet that Mark Davis has the wherewithal to pull off such a move, either financially or mentally.
If Harbaugh indeed coaches elsewhere next season (and I’m starting to believe that’s exactly what’ll happen), I’m thinking he heads to another NFL team. Here’s how I’d rank them in terms of likelihood:
- Cowboys
- Jets
- Dolphins
- Falcons
- Giants
49ers fans are going to vomit at the very thought of this, but I see Jerry Jones offering up some ridiculous package of draft picks after his team (currently 3-1) goes into their inevitable late-season slide and finishes 8-8. But I have nothing to back up this claim — I’m no Glazer or Schefter … or even Deion, for that matter.
