Rumors have been floating here in the Bay Area for weeks that 49ers coach Steve Mariucci needed to go deep in the playoffs to get the kind of contract extension he wants out of upper management. The coming season will be Mooch’s last on his current contract, leaving him in a nasty lame duck limbo, and pays him a below average $2.2 million to boot. The papers are reporting that he wants in the $3.5-4M neighborhood for four or five years that seems so fashionable this year.
But of course the Niners did not go deep in the playoffs and instead showed a lack of depth in losing yesterday. A lack of coaching creativity for sure, which confirms for me that Mariucci doesn’t have what it takes to bring another Vince Lombardi Trophy to Candlestick Park. In last week’s comeback against the Giants, the key to victory was loosening up on both sides of the ball, no huddle with lots of motion on offense and blitzes and last minute movement on D. Yet even after the team fell behind early yesterday, the coaching staff stayed in a shell and the result was predictable. The wasted drive at the end of the first half was emblematic of Mariucci’s coaching and why he should leave.
Team owner and his (current) coach are expected to meet tomorrow to talk about the negotiations for a new deal. Might it also be the meeting at which York informs Mariucci that the most he can hope for is an extension for $2.5M for two years? How would Steve react to that?
On the other hand, rumors also say that the possibility of Mooch coming available is why Jacksonville has not yet hired a coach and oppositely why Denny Green, who is salivating over the Niner job, withdrew from consideration there.
BillSaysThis 