49ers: Candidate’s history doesn’t sit well with fans
The final person to interview for the 49ers’ head-coach opening is not the people’s choice.
Social-media criticism has followed the team’s decision to meet with Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable, who Sunday became the last of seven candidates to sit down with the 49ers.
Cable left the Bay Area in 2010 after the Raiders fired him following a three-year tenure that included a 17-27 record and allegations of physical abuse. In 2009, he allegedly broke the jaw of a defensive assistant in a fistfight, and ESPN reported three women, two ex-wives and an ex-girlfriend, had accused Cable of physical abuse.
Given that, the 49ers’ interest in Cable is surprising. CEO Jed York had discussed “winning with class” before stating his desire to establish a “championship culture” the day after head coach Chip Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke were fired Jan. 1. The 49ers also endured a public backlash in 2014 when defensive tackle Ray McDonald continued to play after he was arrested for felony domestic violence.
Cable, however, is a long shot to land with the 49ers. They are the only team with a head-coach vacancy and their other two candidates are offensive coordinators Josh McDaniels (Patriots) and Kyle Shanahan (Falcons). Neither can be hired until his team is eliminated from the playoffs. Cable can be hired since the Seahawks lost to the Falcons in a divisional-playoff game Saturday.
Cable, 52, has avoided off-thefield issues since joining Seattle in 2011 and is regarded as one of the NFL’s best offensive line coaches.
His ability explains why the Seahawks have tried a ducttape-and-baling-wire approach to assembling their offensive line, which is the lowest-paid unit in the league. On Saturday, the seven linemen on Seattle’s 46-man roster had an average age of 24. Their starting tackles, undrafted rookie George Fant and Garry Gilliam, combined to spend one season as offensive linemen in college.
Seattle has had confidence in Cable’s ability to develop their projects, and the results have been mixed. The Seahawks ranked 24th in yards per carry (3.9) and allowed the sixth-most sacks (42) in the NFL this season.
On Monday, the 49ers are scheduled to interview Seahawks co-directors of player personnel Scott Fitterer and Trent Kirchner, which will mark the last of their known interviews. Fitterer or Kirchner would presumably be hired as general manager if the 49ers choose Cable. Ex-coach interviewed: Kelly interviewed for the Jaguars’ head-coach opening before Jacksonville promoted interim head coach Doug Marrone on Monday, ESPN reported.
Kelly was approached by Cal after the school fired head coach Sonny Dykes on Jan. 8, the NFL Network reported. Kelly did not interview with the Bears, who hired Wisconsin defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox.