Announcing the 49ers All-Decade Coach

The best 49ers head coach of the past 10 years.

This past decade was a wild ride for the 49ers. The team was led by five different head coaches. Had five losing seasons, two of which the 49ers were the 2nd worst team in football. Spent one season with an 8-8 record. And of course had four winning seasons, consisting of four NFC Championship Games and two Super Bowl appearances.

2010’s coaches stats:

• 2010: Mike Singletary (5-10) & *Jim Tomsula (1-0)*
• 2011-2014: Jim Harbaugh (regular season 44-19-1) (playoffs 5-3)
• 2015: Jim Tomsula (5-11)
• 2016: Chip Kelly (2-14)
• 2017-2019: Kyle Shanahan (regular season 23-25) (playoffs 2-1)

*Interim head coach*

The 49ers were all over the map in the 2010s, but one coach in particular got them back on the map: Jim Harbaugh.

Harbaugh took over after the 2010 season, when the team went 6-10 under Mike Singletary and interim head coach Jim Tomsula.

The 2011 49ers took the league by storm, and their 13-3 record granted them the number one seed in the NFC. This was following an eight-year playoff drought, the longest drought the team experienced since establishing their dominance in the 1980’s. Despite the success, the 2011 season ended in a crushing home loss to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game.

On the bright side for Harbaugh, his fantastic first season as an NFL coach earned him AP Coach of the Year Honors, making him the first coach since Bill Walsh in 1981 to win the AP coach's award.

The 2012 49ers finished with the 2nd best record in the NFC (11-5-1), won two playoff games, and appeared in the franchise’s sixth Super Bowl. Like the 2011 game against the Giants, the Super Bowl ended in a crushing loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

The 2013 49ers finished with the 2nd best record in the NFC West (12-4), won two playoff games, and played in the NFC Championship Game against the Seattle Seahawks. Like the previous two postseasons, this one also ended in a crushing defeat.

Even though Harbaugh could never win the big game and his tenure resulted in a lot of heartbreak, he is still one of the more successful coaches in the history of the franchise.

Harbaugh is the second coach in 49ers history to lead the team to back-to-back-to-back conference championship games, following in the footsteps of George Seifert (1992-1994). The team also achieved three conference championship games in a row, between 1988-1990 under a combination of Walsh and Seifert.

Harbaugh’s .695 win percentage ranks second in franchise history, in front of Buck Shaw (.640) and behind Seifert (.766). The eight playoff games Harbaugh coached rank him third, behind Seifert (15) and Walsh (14).

The only competition to Harbaugh in regards to the All-Decade head coach is Kyle Shanahan. However, Shanahan’s numbers are simply not even remotely close to what Harbaugh accomplished.

The two coaches took over two completely different rosters. Harbaugh took over a team that already had a lot of talent, and Shanahan took over a team with little to no talent whatsoever.

Shanahan deserves a lot of credit for turning the 49ers around as quickly as he did to close out the decade, but it’s not enough to take this spot away from Harbaugh.

Jim Harbaugh, your 49ers All-Decade Head Coach.

Follow me on Twitter: @NinerNick_22

Click here to find more about the 49er All-Decade project and follow along to the All-Decade tracker below!

K: Phil Dawson

P: Andy Lee

KR/PR: Ted Ginn Jr.

Safety: Dashon Goldson

Safety: Donte Whitner

Cornerback #1: Carlos Rogers

Cornerback #2: Richard Sherman

Cornerback #3: Tarell Brown

Linebacker #1: NaVorro Bowman

Linebacker #2 : Patrick Willis

Linebacker #3: Fred Warner

Defensive Lineman #1: Aldon Smith

D-Lineman #2: Justin Smith

D-Lineman #3: Ahmad Brooks

D-Lineman #4: DeForest Buckner

*Defensive Flex*: Eric Reid

Right Tackle: Anthony Davis

Right Guard: Alex Boone

Center: Jonathan Goodwin

Left Guard: Mike Iupati

Left Tackle: Joe Staley

Tight End: Vernon Davis

Wide Receiver #1: Anquan Boldin

Wide Receiver #2: Michael Crabtree

Wide Receiver #3: Kendrick Bourne

Fullback: Kyle Juszczyk

Running Back #1: Frank Gore

Running Back #2: Raheem Mostert

Quarterback:

*Offensive Flex*:

Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh