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San Francisco 49ers: 5 Steps to Fix the Franchise in 2017

By Peter Panacy

January 20, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers chief executive officer Jed York addresses the media in a press conference after naming Chip Kelly (not pictured) 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; San Francisco 49ers chief executive officer Jed York addresses the media in a press conference after naming Chip Kelly (not pictured) as the new head coach for the 49ers at Levi's Stadium Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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January 20, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers chief executive officer Jed York (left), Chip Kelly (center), and San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke (right) pose for a photo in a press conference after naming Kelly as the new head coach for the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
January 20, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers chief executive officer Jed York (left), Chip Kelly (center), and San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke (right) pose for a photo in a press conference after naming Kelly as the new head coach for the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 5: Clean House Completely

Yes, the 49ers need to blow the whole thing up and start from scratch.

This would mean everyone in the front office could be on the outs. But let’s stick with the big names.

General manager Trent Baalke is likely gone already. But cleaning house would mean head coach Chip Kelly would be gone too.

Now the 1-13 record this season might not totally be Kelly’s fault. He’s played a role in it, but he didn’t exactly inherit the best of situations.

I know what you’re thinking — the Niners need continuity for once. And a four different head coaches in as many years isn’t a good look.

Grant Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat laid this out:

"And you realize, yes, the only thing worse than firing Kelly after one season would be firing him after two. Because your franchise will invest a high draft pick in a quarterback just a few months from now, and firing Kelly after the quarterback’s rookie season would force that quarterback to learn two different offenses his first two years in the NFL. And that’s how you ruin your investment. You must be prepared to fire Kelly now and hire someone better if you can find that person. You have to make a list."

I don’t always agree with Cohn. But in this case I do. Kelly simply isn’t the right guy to engineer a rebuild in Santa Clara. Other coaches, for sure. Just not Kelly.

And if you’re not on board with Cohn’s argument, just take Matt Miller’s argument on Bleacher Report. It’s the exact same.