Even a win over the Philadelphia Eagles yesterday couldn't keep drama from invading the public sphere in San Francisco.
While speaking on the set of Sunday's "NFL Gameday Highlights," former Falcons, Cowboys, Redskins and 49er's player Deion Sanders announced that a number of players within the San Francisco 49er's organization are not happy with Coach Jim Harbaugh.
"They want him out. They're not on the same page," Sanders said. "I really want to know if they're really playing for the head coach. I got a question with that. Are you really down with your head coach, San Francisco 49ers? Because the way it looks and what I'm hearing, you're really not down for your head coach. And that's a problem."
Sanders is supposedly very well connected to 49er's wide receiver Michael Crabtree, as evidenced by his involvement in Crabtree's rookie contract negotiations.
"They really got some problems that we hear rumblings. We all know people inside locker rooms."
This comes on the heels of a report from NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport earlier in the day that, "there is some serious doubt about whether Harbaugh is actually all in like he professes."
This doubt apparently stems from the belief that Harbaugh is interested in a return to coaching college, potentially at his alma mater, the University of Michigan.
"The same thing I was hearing last year is the same thing I was hearing as the season was starting -- the same thing I'm hearing now," Rapoport told NFL Media's Rich Eisen on "NFL Gameday Morning." "And some of it is from losing, but I'm told especially the veterans are grumbling already about Jim Harbaugh, and the voices are getting louder and louder."
The college rumblings may help explain the apparent issues with his current players - professionals who want to be treated like professionals, but instead feel as though they are treated like college students.
"Some of the complaints include the fact that he kind of treats them like children. In fact, on planes, I'm told, they're not allowed to play music, they're not allowed to play cards. Small things, but these are the things that really can rankle players, even though the veterans do get to sit in first class."
Harbaugh, aware of the reports and growing tension in the locker room, reportedly attempted to appeal to his team ahead of their win over the Cowboys this season, seemingly to no lasting avail though, as the team proceeded to lose the next two games before righting the ship in a hard-fought victory against Philadelphia this weekend.
It was also reported in February that Harbaugh's relationship with the front office, particularly GM Trent Baalke and team president Paraag Marathe, is strained to say the least.
Harbaugh, who has a 38-13-1 regular season record as the head coach in San Francisco and is in year 4 of a 5-year, $25 million contract, is notorious for his grating, agitating personality.
The team has seen quite a bit of success under him though, with 3 consecutive trips to the NFC Championship Game and a Super Bowl loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Harbaugh's tenure, though overwhelmingly successful, has been marked by consistent rumblings of personality clashes. As long as he keeps winning, this may never be anything more than a side issue.
But the minute the team starts to lose, watch for Harbaugh to - very unceremoniously - be shown the door.
