San Francisco 49ers: 5 Big Name Head Coaches to Replace Harbaugh

Dec 28, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers chief executive officer Jed York (left) shakes hands with head coach Jim Harbaugh (right) before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Following three straight trips to the NFC Championship Game, including a Super Bowl appearance, San Francisco 49ers‘ head coach Jim Harbaugh is out of San Francisco following a disappointing season in which the Niners severely underperformed on offense, were clearly distracted by off-the-field news, and ultimately fell short of the playoffs for the only time in the Harbaugh era.

During his time in San Francisco, Harbaugh transformed the identity of the 49ers from a perennially mediocre team into a football powerhouse. However, his abrasive personality and his inability to make significant progress with the 49er offense has worn out the patience of the front office, and they will be looking to move in a different direction in 2015.

So who are the biggest names on the market who could replace Harbaugh as coach in San Francisco?

Next: Candidate #1