Are The San Francisco 49ers’ Offseason Retirements Coincidental?
Another player, another retirement. San Francisco 49ers right tackle, Anthony Davis became the team’s fourth player to retire this offseason. At age 25, Davis’ retirement — particularly at such a young age — has only increased doubt about the 49ers’ upcoming season.
First it was the surprise retirement from Patrick Willis, then an oddly-timed retirement by Chris Borland. Those two decisions stirred a ruckus across the country, after a poorly-handled releasing of Jim Harbaugh. Justin Smith delayed his retirement, but became official months later, after the offseason began. Then in recent news, Davis joined the list.
While the retirements may be something, a good portion of 49ers fans feel this is all a fallout from Harbaugh leaving the team. So, it stresses the question — are the retirements purely out of discontent with the 49ers organization or were they strictly coincidental?
Funny thing is, it can be argued both ways. Lets start with the Harbaugh departure.
Steve Mariucci’s last season in the Bay Area was in 2002. Starting in 2003, for almost a solid decade, the 49ers fell into a pit. Coach after coach, no one seemed able to jump start a team who should be performing at a high level.
In 2011, Harbaugh traveled over from Palo Alto from Stanford University, and an era 49ers’ fans would remember began. In Harbaugh’s first season, something unthinkable just a season previous happened — a taste of the playoffs for the 49ers.
After disappearing from the postseason for nine years, Harbaugh managed to get the 49ers to the playoffs three straight years — including two NFC Championship games and a trip to the Super Bowl — where the team with flirted with victory but ultimately, came up short.
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Then 2014 rolled around, and Harbaugh’s season took a turn for the worst. While it may be easy to pin the blame on Harbaugh, critics need to take a look into the numerous injuries the 49ers had to deal with — including injuries to multiple starters. With a roster so diminished, an 8-8 finish seemed improbable, but it happened.
Fans will never get the honest truth about the collapse of the 2014 season for the 49ers, but performance sure seemed to be somewhat responsible. Colin Kaepernick, despite 18 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, was highly inconsistent, and all that seemed left of Vernon Davis was a ghost. Offensive production was horrendous and needed an upgrade.
The season ended, and owner Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke, managed to review the team. In conclusion, they felt Harbaugh was not necessarily who they wanted down the road, and felt a new face who can be a teacher was needed for the 49ers head coaching position. The 49ers solution — former defensive line coach, Jim Tomsula.
After a lengthy decision and passing on Adam Gase and Mike Shanahan, the 49ers stayed in house and promoted their defensive line coach. Also, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, and defensive back coach Ed Donatell, were relieved of their duties. The 49ers coaching staff experienced a massive sweep.
With coaching departures and deciding to let Mike Iupati, Michael Crabtree, Perrish Cox, Chris Culliver, and Dan Skuta walk, this certainly angered the 49ers faithful and closed out what little light was left after Harbaugh’s departure started the dominoes falling.
For Willis, did it seem too easy for him to walk away? After what he contributed to the franchise? Maybe.
As for Justin Smith, would he have stayed another year if Harbaugh returned? No telling.
For two leaders such as Willis and Smith to go out the way they did, maybe there was sense the team was going in a new direction.
Aug 28, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; San Francisco 49ers inside linebacker Patrick Willis (52) during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
On defense for the four 49ers players who hung up the cleats, these retirements were most likely coincidental. The timing is what is misleading.
When Harbaugh departed, it was a few days before the end of the year in 2014. Willis and Borland had already decided to retire, but it was not until months later in March.
For Smith and Davis, their retirements did not come until May and June. If this truly were about doubts for the team’s future, about York and Baalke not being capable of handling a team, or the lack of adding quality, wouldn’t those decisions come a lot sooner?
As for Willis and Davis, injuries were not in their favor in recent years. Willis has dealt with a wrist injury and a serious toe problem that kept him out a majority of the 2014 season. Davis on the other-hand, was dealing with some leg injuries and serious concussion that knocked him out a good portion of the 2014 season as well.
It is easy to complain that a player is getting paid and should be out on the field, but the extent of the injury we do not really know. Players today are stronger and faster. While a timetable of four to six weeks for strained hamstring may be reported for example, that doesn’t mean they’ll be back within that time frame. It could be shorter, or it may be longer. Whatever Willis and Davis were experiencing, for them, it was not worth continuing to play.
Smith played for 14 years in the league and suffered a painful shoulder injury in 2013, but took care of it last season. He admitted that it affected his play and that he was not himself. Retirement seemed to be more in his favor, regardless of any outcome. Smith had nothing more to prove and showed why he was one of the toughest players in the league.
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Borland’s retirement was the strangest of the four, as he necessarily did not have a career-ending injury. But he feared for his future and the handling of injuries by the league. Playing during his rookie season, he essentially knew 2014 would be his last year. As a kind gesture, Borland was willing to pay back his signing bonus to the team.
For those who believe the rash of retirements is a bit more than mere coincidence, what seems to be lacking is a clear line that draws the Harbaugh line to the players leaving. When Harbaugh left, few people were vocal and spoke up about his release. For Tomsula, players have openly come out in support of the former defensive line coach.
Did the players truly miss Harbaugh and the success he brought to the team?
If the 49ers organization is so hostile to players, why are free agents continually signing with the team? Especially Darnell Dockett and Reggie Bush.
Players hear all sorts of gossip and have friendships with other players in the league. They know everything that is going on. Bush already has one Super Bowl ring with the New Orleans Saints and Dockett came close with the Arizona Cardinals. With Bush being 30 and Dockett who is 34, they are at the point of their careers where they are looking to win. The big contract days are over and now it is about winning and finishing up a career strong.
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By the additions of the offseason, it is clear people want to come play for the 49ers, despite Harbaugh leaving. Torrey Smith could have re-signed with the Baltimore Ravens or went elsewhere, but he chose to play for the 49ers. As a player, it would be expected that they would want to play in stable environment while being able to compete. The time to be concerned is when players openly demand a trade or give up on the team. That is not happening in San Francisco.
Four retirements in the same offseason and by players on the same team is definitely an eye-popper. Whether it is fallout from the Harbaugh situation, or just pure coincidence, as a fan of the game, it needs to be respected. It could be personal interests outside of the game or it may be injury-related. The timing is the issue and may be causing false perceptions. Rather than examine under a microscope and find an exact answer of the decisions post-Harbaugh, one must relax and enjoy the process.
2015 is a brand new season, and it will give the 49ers’ fanbase and the NFL answers they want know after the first whistle.