San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York said Sunday via text message that the team will hire a general manager and ultimately a new head coach, suggesting Mike Singletary will not return next season.
The 49ers parted ways with former GM Scot McCloughan in March and have operated without someone in that position since. Vice president of player personnel Trent Baalke, whom York said would be a candidate for the job, has handled GM-type decisions.
York, speaking after the 49ers were officially eliminated from playoff contention with a 25-17 loss to the St. Louis Rams, said the team will conduct a GM search that will then lead to another head coach. Singletary could be gone before the 49ers' season finale against the Arizona Cardinals next week.
Sources close to several of the top available coaching candidates -- ESPN analyst Jon Gruden and Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh in particular -- indicated that both men could be interested in the impending vacancy, but they would require a restructured front office and a proven GM heading up the personnel department.
Singletary is 18-22 in two-plus seasons with the 49ers. He took over as interim coach midway through the 2008 season after Mike Nolan was fired, then was given the job on a permanent basis following a 5-4 finish.
Singletary led the team to a 8-8 record last season, leading many to pick the 49ers as NFC West favorites. Instead, San Francisco slumped to 5-10 amid quarterback controversies and other issues.
The 49ers parted ways with former GM Scot McCloughan in March and have operated without someone in that position since. Vice president of player personnel Trent Baalke, whom York said would be a candidate for the job, has handled GM-type decisions.
York, speaking after the 49ers were officially eliminated from playoff contention with a 25-17 loss to the St. Louis Rams, said the team will conduct a GM search that will then lead to another head coach. Singletary could be gone before the 49ers' season finale against the Arizona Cardinals next week.
Sources close to several of the top available coaching candidates -- ESPN analyst Jon Gruden and Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh in particular -- indicated that both men could be interested in the impending vacancy, but they would require a restructured front office and a proven GM heading up the personnel department.
Singletary is 18-22 in two-plus seasons with the 49ers. He took over as interim coach midway through the 2008 season after Mike Nolan was fired, then was given the job on a permanent basis following a 5-4 finish.
Singletary led the team to a 8-8 record last season, leading many to pick the 49ers as NFC West favorites. Instead, San Francisco slumped to 5-10 amid quarterback controversies and other issues.
