SANTA CLARA – Coach Jim Tomsula walked into the 49ers’ locker room at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday morning without any assurances of what the rest of the day might hold for him.
Amid reports the 49ers are likely to part ways with Tomsula and retain general manager Trent Baalke, Tomsula told CSNBayArea.com that he has not heard anything about his future from the team’s ownership and management.
“If it is, it is. If it isn’t, it isn’t,” Tomsula said at 11:15 a.m., more than two hours before he could possibly be coaching his final game with the 49ers.
The 49ers are 4-11 entering the team’s final game of the season Sunday against the St. Louis Rams.
Tomsula was elevated to head coach after eight seasons as 49ers defensive line coach last January following the announced “mutual parting” with Jim Harbaugh. The 49ers went to three consecutive NFC Championship games, including one Super Bowl, in Harbaugh’s first three seasons. The 49ers finished 8-8 in 2014.
Immediately after the 49ers’ final game of the 2014 season, the team announced Harbaugh would not be back as head coach. Already knowing he would not be back with the 49ers, Harbaugh agreed to coach his alma mater, Michigan, before the 49ers’ final game of the season.
Since 2000, only three first-time head coaches in the NFL were fired after just one season: Cam Cameron (Miami, 2007), Hue Jackson (Oakland, 2011) and Rob Chudzinski (Cleveland, 2013). Tomsula would become the fourth.
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Several coaching candidates have already reportedly expressed interest in the 49ers’ job for next season, the NFL Network reported, including Chip Kelly and Mike Shanahan. Sean Payton could also be interested if the 49ers could work out a deal with the New Orleans Saints, the network reported. Mike Holmgren has also made no secret in the past of his desire to return to coach the 49ers.
