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Chip Kelly’s All-Time Ranking Among San Francisco 49ers Head Coaches

By Bryan Knowles

January 20, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Chip Kelly (left) and San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke (right) address the media in a press conference after naming Kelly as the new head coach for the 49ers at Levi's Stadium Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
January 20, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Chip Kelly (left) and San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke (right) address the media in a press conference after naming Kelly as the new head coach for the 49ers at Levi's Stadium Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 9, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Nolan talk with inside linebacker Paul Worrilow (55) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Atlanta Falcons defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-17. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 9, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Nolan talk with inside linebacker Paul Worrilow (55) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Atlanta Falcons defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-17. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

At Least He Had Fashion

Mike Nolan (2005-2008)

I recently put together a list of the worst head coaches of the past 15 years; the 49ers had two names on that list, neither of them Jim Tomsula. Nolan was one of them, putting up an 18-37 record that felt like it got worse and worse as time went on. In two of his four seasons as a coach, he put up double-digit losses; the 49ers have only had 12 such seasons in history, and unlike Walsh and Mariccui, who had a couple each, Nolan never found the success to make us forget about those sorts of years. Two of Nolan’s teams—the 2005 and 2007 squads—rank in the bottom five 49ers teams of all time, according to Pro Football Reference’s Simple Rating System.  His constant quarterback shuffling and issues generating anything on offense means he paled in comparison to his more successful father.

Nolan was bad for four years, so it would take something unprecedented in franchise history for Kelly to do more damage in just one season. He’d have to pilot a team that set records for NFL futility to drop under Nolan—think of a year like the 2009 1-15 St. Louis Rams, or the 2008 0-16 Detroit Lions or the 2007 1-15 Miami Dolphins. That sort of terrible season, if Kelly remained coach all the way through, would drop him under Nolan in my book. It wouldn’t just have to be the worst 49ers team of all time; it’d have to be in the discussion for worst NFL team of all time.

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