The 36 Worst Decisions the 49ers Have Made Since 2017
Kyle Shanahan has a million ideas. That's why he such a good coordinator.
But he also is a head coach, and a head coach has to be a decision-maker, not just an idea-man. And Shanahan and John Lynch routinely make bad decisions.
Here are the worst decisions Shanahan and Lynch have made since they took over the 49ers in 2017.
1. Not seriously evaluating Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun Watson in 2017 because Kyle Shanahan wanted to sign Kirk Cousins in 2018. Mahomes went on to beat the 49ers in the Super Bowl last year, while Cousins signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2018.
2. Signing Brian Hoyer to be the starting quarterback in 2017.
3. Trading up for C.J. Beathard in Round 3 when Steelers running back James Conner was available.
4. Drafting Solomon Thomas with the third pick of the 2017 draft instead of Watson, Mahomes, Jamal Adams, Christian McCaffrey, Marshon Lattimore, Marlon Humphrey or Tre'Davious White.
5. Trading up to take Reuben Foster with the 31st pick in 2017 instead of Ryan Ramczyk, Budda Baker, Curtis Samuel or Dalvin Cook.
6. Signing linebacker Malcolm Smith to a five-year $26.5 million contract in 2017.
7. Drafting Ahkello Witherspoon in 2017 one pick before the Saints took Alvin Kamara and three picks before the Rams took Cooper Kupp.
8. Trading up in Round 4 of the 2017 draft to take Joe Williams instead of Marlon Mack even though Williams had retired once from football and wasn't on the 49ers draft board until Shanahan insisted they take him.
9. Giving Jimmy Garoppolo a record five-year, $137.5 million contract after just seven career starts instead of franchise-tagging him. Garoppolo tore his ACL three games into his new contract and has missed 23 games since he signed it.
10. Not drafting a quarterback in 2018.
11. Drafting Mike McGlinchey with the 9th pick in the 2018 draft instead of Minkah Fitzpatrick, Kolton Miller, Derwin James, Tremaine Edmunds or Jaire Alexander.
12. Trading up in Round 2 of the 2018 draft and taking Dante Pettis instead of D.J. Chark.
13. Signing Jerick McKinnon to a four-year, $30 million contract.
14. Extending Marquise Goodwin's contract for three years after just one good season in 2017.
15. Trading a second-round pick for Dee Ford AND giving him a five-year, $85.5 million contract extension even though they knew he had a history of back and neck injuries. And now, back and neck injuries could force him into early retirement.
16. Giving Kwon Alexander a four-year, $54 million deal mere months after he tore his ACL.
17. Drafting Deebo Samuel instead of A.J. Brown in Round 2 of the 2019 draft even though Samuel had an extensive injury history in college and Brown didn't. Samuel has missed 10 games in two seasons. Brown has missed just two.
18. Drafting Jalen Hurd instead of Terry McLaurin in Round 3 of the 2019 draft even though Hurd had an extensive injury history in college and McLaurin didn't. Hurd has never played a down for the 49ers. McLaurin already has more than 2,000 receiving yards in his career.
19. Drafting punter Mitch Wishnowsky in Round 4 of the 2019 draft instead of Chauncey Gardner-Johnson or Jarrett Stidham.
20. Not drafting a quarterback in 2019.
21. Not cutting Pettis in 2019.
22. Giving Tevin Coleman a two-year, $10 million contract in 2019 when the 49ers already had Raheem Mostert, Matt Breida and Jeff Wilson Jr.
23. Not starting Raheem Mostert in the Super Bowl.
24. Not playing Wilson over Coleman in the Super Bowl.
25. Not cutting Richard Sherman after he got torched in the Super Bowl.
26. Trading DeForest Freaking Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts for a mid-first round pick.
27. Using that mid-first round pick on Javon Kinlaw instead of offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs.
28. Giving Arik Armstead a five-year, $85 million contract extension after just one good season.
29. Not getting a new center in 2020 even though the 49ers knew Weston Richburg had a torn patella. Richburg still hasn't played since he tore it.
30. Agreeing in 2020 not to franchise tag Trent Williams in 2021. Williams is set to hit free agency.
31. Cutting D.J. Reed and keeping Beathard and Trent Taylor instead. Reed now is a quality defensive back for the Seattle Seahawks. Beathard and Taylor are on their way out of the league.
32. Not cutting Pettis sooner in 2020.
33. Not drafting a quarterback in 2020.
34. Not cutting McKinnon or Coleman in 2020.
35. Not making Wilson Jr. a featured running back until midway through the 2020 season.
36. Not signing Tom Brady when he asked to join the team in 2020.
Am I missing anything? Probably.
In four years, Lynch and Shanahan have made at least 36 bad decisions. That's nine bad decisions per year.
And Jed York has made at least one terrible decision: giving Lynch and Shanahan extensions after just one winning season and no Lombardi Trophy.
And York is about to make another huge mistake when he lets Robert Saleh leave the franchise. Saleh should be the 49ers head coach, not Shanahan, because Saleh makes good decisions. He's a chess player, a thinker, a planner. Not just an idea-man. He has the inherent decision-making skills Shanahan and Lynch lack.
Do something, Jed. Make a decision. Fix this problem you've created.
Do you really trust Shanahan and Lynch to decide who the quarterback should be next season?
