Niner Noise
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San Francisco 49ers: Breaking down the 20 biggest moments of the decade

By Jeremy Wohlfart

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - DECEMBER 23: Fireworks go off after the last regular season game at Candlestick Park where the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34-24 on December 23, 2013 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - DECEMBER 23: Fireworks go off after the last regular season game at Candlestick Park where the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 34-24 on December 23, 2013 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /
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49ers, Jed York, 49ers
Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the San Francisco 49ers and CEO Jed York (Photo by Don Feria/Getty Images) /

No. 14: Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers part ways

As mentioned before, one of the biggest questions the 49ers have this decade is exactly what would have happened if the relationship with Jim Harbaugh hadn’t imploded.

A question for the comment section, perhaps.

By the end of 2014, it was clear the Niners and Harbaugh were in a loveless marriage where the heart just wasn’t in it.

What exactly happened is a matter of dispute. Some say it was mutual, some say Harbaugh lost the locker room and some say Harbaugh was effectively pushed out by CEO Jed York, who took the side of former general manager Trent Baalke.

Maybe one of these is the truth, maybe none of them are the truth and maybe there’s a little truth in all of it.

Whatever the truth is, it sent the 49ers into a tailspin from which it didn’t recover off the field until Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch were hired as head coach and general manager, respectively, and on the field until 2019.