Before the San Francisco 49ers even played a snap in the 2014 regular season, rumors of controversy within the organization were already swirling. According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Jim Harbaugh could be losing his locker room.
“There is some serious doubts about whether Harbaugh is actually all in like he professes,” Rapoport told NFL Media’s Rich Eisen on Sunday morning. “He says he is about the team, the team, the team. The players now wonder, is that actually the case?
“They have dealt with a lot over the last couple years. Some of the way he’s treated them, some lack of respect. And all because they are winning, they are fine with it, but some of the players wonder, if they lose, will it all spiral out of control?”
Rapoport added that a lot of veterans were irritated by Harbaugh making the team travel all the way to Baltimore so the coach could have a joint practice with his brother John and the Ravens.
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Harbaugh has two years remaining on his current contract, and it is no secret he has been looking for the team to award him with an extension. The fact that the Niners have not extended Harbaugh despite the team’s success has raised plenty of eyebrows. Rapoport wonders if this could be his last year in San Francisco.
“He does have two years left on his deal,” he said. “But it is worth asking: Is this the last year for Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco?”
Harbaugh is reportedly aware of his players’ frustration with him and called a meeting this past week in an attempt to clear the air. The Niners looked shaky in preseason, but none of that will matter if they come out firing against the Cowboys. If not, expect the drama to build in a hurry.
