Reports: 49ers expected to fire Jim Tomsula

The 49ers are expected to fire Jim Tomsula after Sunday's game against the Rams but likely will retain general manager Trent Baalke, Pro Football Talk reported this morning. That arrangement was confirmed by Bleacher Report's Jason Cole.

However, the NFL Network reported that no decisions have been made about next season. A source told The Bee that team CEO Jed York has not yet made up his mind on Tomsula’s fate.

That alone is significant.

Other teams -- such as the Cowboys -- have publicly stated that head coaches of struggling teams are safe for the upcoming season. The 49ers have been tight-lipped as their four-win season draws to a close. In addition, linebackers coach Clancy Pendergast reportedly will take a job at USC because of uncertainty on the 49ers’ coaching staff.

Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer also reported on the network’s pre-game show that Tomsula would be “one and done” in San Francisco. He added that the 49ers want to bring in a “big fish” candidate but “many of them don’t want to come out with the general manager, Trent Baalke. It’s going to be interesting to see what Jed York does in that situation.”

Glazer’s report underscores a dynamic that was at play when Tomsula was assembling his staff a year ago: Some would-be assistant coaches were leery of joining the 49ers because they felt Baalke had too much sway on the coaching staff.

In early December team officials were leaning toward keeping Tomsula, who was hired in January. The 49ers had an uplifting overtime win in Chicago, seemed to have conquered the road woes that plagued them earlier in the year and were getting production from young players.

But Tomsula has not won since, including road losses to bad Browns and Lions teams.

San Francisco is very likely to finish last in the league in scoring and, depending on whether the 49ers or the Rams gain more yards, they could finish last in total offense.

Mike Holmgren, who has a reputation for identifying and developing quarterbacks, has said he’d like the job. Holmgren has a home in nearby Scotts Valley. Saints coach Sean Payton, who may be let go, also would be attractive to a 49ers squad whose issues are mainly on offense.

This story was originally published January 3, 2016 at 8:24 AM with the headline "Reports: 49ers expected to fire Jim Tomsula."