SANTA CLARA -- CEO Jed York met with the media on Monday morning to discuss the firings of coach Chip Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke, as well as the future of the organization.
On Monday, CSNBayArea.com reported the top candidates for the opening of coach are New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Seattle offensive line coach and former Raiders head coach Tom Cable, Buffalo interim head coach Anthony Lynn, Jacksonville interim coach Doug Marrone and Miami defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.
The top candidates to emerge in that search are New England director of player personnel Nick Caserio, Kansas City director of player personnel Chris Ballard, ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, Minnesota assistant general manager George Paton, and Seattle co-player personnel directors Trent Kirchner and Scott Fitterer.
Here's what York had to say:
--York apologizes for a 2-14 season. H said he will move forward to find the right general manager and coach.
--He said will make the ultimate decision for coach and GM. He will consul with others inside and outside the building.
--"We need to be open and flexible to structure," York said when asked whether he'll hire coach or general manager first. "Whatever structure is best" is what he will do.
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--York said, "I own this football team, and you don't dismiss owners."
--"If you're going to reestablish a culture, the best way to do that is a clean slate," York said.
--The 49ers are going to have the opportunity to build with a lot of draft picks and lot of salary cap room. It has to be a collaboration, York said, between him, the coach and the general manager.
--He said the 49ers will spend the money and do everything in his arsenal to have the team win. He said the Super Bowl might be realistic next year. "We have a vision that's going to last for a long period of time," York said.
--York said the general manager and coach have to be able to re-establish a championship culture. He said the ultimate goal is to win a championship, multiple championships. That's the culture he wants inside the building.
--"Trent has more of a defensive mind," York said. He saw the vision of Baalke paired with the offensive-minded Chip Kelly. That did not work. "That's why we're cleaning the slate," he said.
--"We need to get the right people," York said. "It has to be these two guys on the same page. . . They need to be accountable to each other."
--"We were 2-14, we didn't do a lot of things right this year," York said.
--On whether it was a mistake to fire Jim Harbaugh. He said he would not look back and second-guess.
--He said he has interviewed some of the coaching candidates in the past.
MORE TO COME
