Why 49ers Head Coach Chip Kelly and General Manger Trent Baalke Need Each Other
By Sequoia Sims
San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke are feuding? Really? Kelly’s a smart man, based on the consensus around the NFL and throughout the league. Would he jeopardize this golden, and potentially his last opportunity, to coach in this league as a head coach for one of the most historic franchises in NFL history? Would Baalke draw negative attention to himself right before the draft? The answers are all no and here’s why: They both need each other.
Recently it was reported by John Breech of CBSSports.com that San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke are already having problems, per source Brian Baldinger.
“I already hear there are problems in the building between Chip and Baalke,” Baldinger told 97.5-FM the Fanatic recently.
The source was then later disputed by Mike Florio of NBCSports:
"So I’ll wait until a reporter from NFL Network or ESPN or FOX Sports or CSNBayArea.com or the Sacramento Bee or the Bay Area News Group or the San Francisco Chronicle reports this before concluding that it’s true. Or I’ll wait until I’ve heard the same something from a sufficiently reliable source or sources."
It didn’t stop there either, on Friday Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee also shared his take on the matter:
"Well, you have to first consider the source. Brian Baldinger (Fox Sports NFL analyst; Eagles preseason TV analyst) is affiliated with the Eagles, who have been tripping over themselves to undermine Chip Kelly since he left town. One probably should take anything the Hatfields say about the McCoys with a grain of salt. Kelly and Baalke were hanging out next to one another during the 49ers’ recent pro day – they were watching Stanford quarterback Kevin Hogan throw passes to receivers, including Stanford’s Devon Cajuste – and seemed to be perfectly chummy."
The case of why they both need each other
Regardless, if the reports are true or have any level of substance to them, all signs point to at this point to take the first report with a grain of salt. Now having said that, it still doesn’t take away that both men have a few things in common.
More from Niner Noise
- 49ers 2023 NFL Draft tracker: Pick-by-pick news and analysis
- Predicting 49ers NFL Draft picks by looking at final mocks
- DraftKings NFL Draft Promo – Win $150 Guaranteed on Any $5 Bet
- 2023 NFL Draft: EDGE Byron Young could be impact player for 49ers
- 5 low-key NFL Draft options for 49ers who are flying under the radar
They’re both under a major microscope of scrutiny, and under some form of pressure however you want to slice the cake. Whether it’s justifiable, unwarranted or not, that’s what the perception is around the NFL, among sports media outlet’s and most fan bases.
Kelly and Baalke have had a past history, on some level of friction, between their respective parties. They were supposed to be on one accord with, and in the best interest of, winning football games.
Baalke is under pressure, based on this year’s draft alone and the future development of the draft class of 2013-2016, moving forward trying to establish and build a strong core for the future, specially with not a lot of activity in free agency, per Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area.
Also, per Maiocco, Baalke has taken a tumble in GM rankings, from 18th ranked last year, to 24th ranked this year. His counterpart across the Bay — Oakland Raiders general manger Reggie McKenzie — is up from last year’s ranking of 25th to ranking 16th this year. Baalke was a former executive of the year in 2011 and regarded as one of the top GMs in the NFL, per Yahoo! Sports.
Kelly’s past issues need no introduction really. But just to name a few, it’s well documented how he left the Philadelphia Eagles. Just to recap, Eagles owner Jeff Lurie talked about his lack thereof, when it came to interpersonal skills, being approachable, loosing players in the locker room, his power struggle and friction with the front office and of personal decisions and more, per Jason Cole of CBS Sports.
Under Kelly’s watch, the Eagles’ defense was on the field for 1,216 snaps — the most in the NFL as described earlier on Niner Noise.
Kelly came close to not being able to even have the opportunity to coach in 2016, or beyond for that matter, as reported back in January by Mike Florio of NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk.
Kelly had one of the top-five offenses and ran more offensive plays from scrimmage during his head coaching career in Philly than any other team in the NFL, according to ESPN.
Baalke and Kelly are both “married at the hip” and tied to the strongest, most toughest schedule in the league, per NFL.com. Both of these gentlemen know what’s at stake here, and not only is it just keeping their career’s on track, but restoring a proud franchise that once was completely respected across the league, and throughout the country, and back to its consistent glory days of greatness.
They’re both football guys. Both have similar draft philosophies of “big people beating up little people.” Both have a common friend that they have a great amount of mutual respect for in 49ers team executive Tom Cable.
If it wasn’t for Cable, Kelly wouldn’t be the 49ers head coach. Cable was the one who vouched for Kelly, according to Barrows.
Both are highly motivated to prove the outside world wrong about the overall negative perception that follows both of them. Kelly has diversified his staff, been open to trying new approaches and integrating new idea’s within the offense, defense and special teams. Kelly and his staff have players excited about this up-and-coming season, as described earlier on Niner Noise.
Baalke, in the past, hasn’t forced a player on a head coach that he wanted to draft, that the coach didn’t like since he’s been GM. He’s allowed the head coach to pick their guy early in the draft. So Baalke has shown more flexibility then he’s been given credit for, per Maiocco. It’s that type of willingness to work with your head coach, specially about the draft and moving forward, that will pay huge dividends for both parties while promoting a healthy working relationship.
They both compliment each other well. Baalke is known more as a defensive guy and has never had an offensive mind assisting him in the draft process like Kelly. During Kelly’s coaching career, he has never had a defensive football guy like Baalke, who’s from the Bill Parcells’ tree, and Baalke’s mentor.
Both have strong work ethic’s and believe in accountability.
When Kelly was hired, he reached out to all the old 49er greats: Ronnie Lott, Dwight Clark, Eddie DeBartolo and more. In his press conference, when he was being introduced as the 49ers head coach, Kelly talked about the historic history about the 49ers and how proud he was to be a part of a rich tradition. Baalke, in the past, has echoed those same sentiments in the highest regards for the 49ers organization and franchise.
Next: 49ers 2016 Draft Blue Print: Why San Francisco Should Target Quarterback Kevin Hogan in the Middle Rounds?
All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated.