Donatell has twice been an NFL defensive coordinator - in Green Bay from 2000-03 and in Atlanta from 2004-06. He also ran the defense at the University of Washington in 2008. He received praise this year from head coach Jim Harbaugh for his work with the 49ers' secondary, which saw two players - Carlos Rogers and Dashon Goldson - reach the Pro Bowl. Cornerback Tarell Brown also had the best season of his career and rookie Chris Culliver had a big role as the nickel cornerback.

Denying assistants permission to interview for bigger roles on other teams is considered rare. Doing so is generally thought to discourage talented coaches from joining your staff because of a fear they will have a tough time advancing.

-- Matt Barrows

Jed York and the 49ers announced today that they have signed Trent Baalke to a three-year extension that makes him the team's general manager through the 2016 season.

"Without question Trent has distinguished himself as the man to direct our football operations for years to come," York said in a statement. "Since taking over as general Manager last January, we have made great strides on the football field under Trent's leadership. It gives me great pleasure to watch Trent and Jim (Harbaugh) work arm-in-arm with the common goal of leading the 49ers to championships."

Indeed, Baalke not only worked well with Harbaugh this past season, he was integral in landing him. Harbaugh is not a man who values flash, and Baalke is certainly not flashy. Instead, he's a very no-nonsense type of personality who has kept out of the limelight and who has built a reputation as a very good evaluator of talent.

Harbaugh and Baalke hit it off in their first formal meeting in January of 2011, which was held in the pool house of a mutual friend. The two talked Xs and Os for hours. Harbaugh felt so at ease that he eventually removed his tie, took out a can of chewing tobacco and asked Baalke and York, "You guys mind if I dip?"

Baalke's best moves, however, may have been during the abbreviated free agency period that followed the lockout. Early on, the biggest splash the 49ers made was signing kicker David Akers and re-signing one of their own free agents, Ray McDonald. This frustrated fans to no end as they watched other teams, such as the Eagles, take an aggressive approach to free agency and sign big-name players by the handful.

Baalke, however, wagered that with so many players on the market - and so little time to sign them all - the 49ers' patience would pay off. He was right. The team signed cornerback Carlos Rogers to a one-year deal after Rogers failed to land the long-term contract he was seeking. The 49ers did the same with safety Dashon Goldson, who thought he deserved a multi-year contract on par with the league's top safeties.

Both players finished the season with career highs in interceptions and made the Pro Bowl for the first time. Signing Akers - universally mocked as an insignificant, low-impact move - also seemed brilliant after the kicker set a single-season record for field goals. The signings of safety Donte Whitner and Jonathan Goodwin also are smart in hindsight.

Baalke's only misses came at receiver. The team drafted Ronald Johnson in the sixth round in part because he was a favorite of receivers coach John Morton, who coached Johnson at USC. Johnson, however, made no impact in training camp and was cut.

In free agency, Baalke and the 49ers again seemed to find a gem in the bargain bin. They signed Braylon Edwards to a low-cost, one-year deal with the expectation that he would be a big-play receiver opposite Michael Crabtree. It didn't work out that way. Edwards got hurt, didn't impress the coaching staff and was released late in the season.

When the team faced the Giants in the NFC Championship game, it was clear they didn't have enough firepower at wide receiver. (To be fair, two other receivers - Joshua Morgan and Ted Ginn - were hurt). And now Baalke's biggest task this offseason is finding one. Or two. Or three.

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York also announced the promotion of minority owner Gideon Yu to team president. Yu, a Silicon Valley insider who has been CEO chief financial officer of Facebook and YouTube, was hired last year as the team's strategy officer. Yu bought a small stake in the team during the season and is now in charge of all business operations, which these days revolves around the construction and funding of the team's billion-dollar stadium.

-- Matt Barrows

If you're going to suffer a season-ending injury, it's best to suffer it early in training camp. That's what happened to three young 49ers - Dontavia Bogan, Nate Byham and Curtis Holcomb - who are now ahead of schedule and should be at full strength for the next 49ers training camp.

That's in contrast to three 49ers from the 2010 season - Phillip Adams, Scott McKillop and Dominique Zeigler - who were still recovering from injuries during the 2011 training camp and who were eventually released. Zeigler and Adams suffered injuries during the season (Adams in the penultimate game of 2010) while McKillop suffered mulitiple knee ligament tears during the 2010 training camp.

Here's an update of each of the injured 49ers and where they might fit in 2012:

Receiver Dontavia Bogan: The 6-foot, 192-pound Bogan was the biggest name of all the undrafted free-agent receivers the team signed in July. Bogan was a second-team All-Big East player who led South Florida in receiving in 2010. Bogan tore his ACL early in training camp but did not do his rehab work in Santa Clara. Bogan is under contract through 2013 and is currently rehabbing in Arizona. He has resumed running.

Tight end Nate Byham: Byham suffered an ACL tear on July 31. The sixth-round pick from 2010 had just caught a pass in practice - in fact, he had caught several and looked good - when he went down in a heap along the sideline. If Byham hadn't gotten hurt, he would have had a significant role this season as the 49ers' third tight end, and he would have been very important once Delanie Walker went down with his jaw injury.

A Pitt product, Byham said he planned to go back to Pittsburgh for part of the offseason and train with cornerback Shawntae Spencer and McKillop, who also played at Pitt. Jim Harbaugh, of course, loves tight ends, and his Stanford squads were teeming with talented players at the position. Perhaps his best one, Coby Fleener, will be in the April draft and may be available when the 49ers pick at No. 30.

"GRo's (offensive coordinator Greg Roman) like a mad scientist - he just finds ways to switch it up and give the defense different looks," Byham said. "Next year, we could have four tight ends in there. It just opens up another chapter in his playbook."

Cornerback Curtis Holcomb: No one had a tougher 2011 than Holcomb, a seventh-round pick in 2011, who ruptured his Achilles tendon during a conditioning exercise that preceded training camp. Still, Holcomb stuck around the practice facility all season as he went through his rehab, sitting in meetings and watching practice as if he was on the 53-man roster.

That, I think, went a long way with the coaches and players. The 49ers adopted a we-are-family philosophy this season, and Holcomb was part of that family. More important as far as his future chances, however, is the state of the cornerback position. Spencer likely will be cut for salary-cap reasons and there's no guarantee Carlos Rogers, a free agent, will be back.

That would leave the 49ers with three cornerbacks - Tramaine Brock, Tarell Brown and Chris Culliver - signed for 2012 with the Saints, Lions, Giants, Packers, etc., etc. on the schedule. Should Rogers leave, I think the 49ers would sign another veteran cornerback, and they're also likely to sign a cornerback or two in the draft. But Holcomb has a good chance to stick. He's resumed running, but he might not be cleared for full practice until later in the year or in training camp.

Receiver Josh Morgan: Morgan bounded out of the team facility after a workout Thursday as if there was nothing wrong with him. Morgan broke his lower right leg on Oct. 9 and was placed on injured reserve. He told AP's Janie McCauley that he's begun sprinting again, and he promises to be at full speed in the spring.

The 49ers badly could have used Morgan in the playoffs, especially after Ted Ginn went down with an injury. Harbaugh has said the 49ers want to re-sign Morgan, who is a good fit for their power-based West Coast Offense. Morgan, however, likely will test the market in free agency before agreeing to a new deal in San Francisco.

-- Matt Barrows

Hard hats are becoming mandatory at 49ers headquarters, which has undergone a sea change in the last month. I and several other writers stopped by today to clean out our cubicles from the media trailer, which is in the path of construction and which will be moved -- where, I don't know -- in coming days.

It's all a part of the make-ready work for the new stadium, which will be built in a parking lot across the street from the team's practice facility and headquarters. Actually, "across the street" isn't exactly correct. The new venue will stretch from the parking lot, over the street -- Centennial Boulevard -- and will be connected by a short passageway to the headquarters building. That is, the street will soon cease to exist.

Right now the work has been knocking down walls, ripping up parking lots and chopping down trees in an effort to make that area level. In the back of the building where the practice fields are located, there also have been changes. The hill -- dubbed Mt. Pain -- that Mike Singletary built in 2009 has been removed. It went unused in Jim Harbaugh's first season as head coach and was in the way of the new road to the facility. (More photos at the end of this blog).

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Every soon-to-be 49ers free agent I've spoken to in recent weeks says he wants to return to the 49ers. I bumped into one of them, right guard Adam Snyder, at the 49ers facility today as he was leaving after a workout. Snyder, who is close to Joe Staley and Alex Smith among others, said talks have not yet begun on a new contract.

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Defensive end Ray McDonald was one of the 49ers who worked out today. McDonald couldn't explain his arrest a day earlier (see previous blog post). He said the paperwork that showed he had completed a court-mandated DUI class had indeed been sent to the proper place. The San Mateo County District Attorney's office, however, said it never received that paperwork, hence the outstanding warrant that landed McDonald briefly in jail.

***************
Here are two more photos of the make-ready construction. The first is the back of the 49ers' facility where Mt. Pain once stood. The second is looking east toward the front of the practice facility across the parking lot on which the stadium will be built.

-- Matt Barrows

It hasn't been a great couple of weeks for 49ers defensive lineman and the law. According to the San Jose Mercury News, starting left defensive end Ray McDonald was arrested early this morning in Sunnyvale for an outstanding warrant related to a suspicion-of-DUI arrest in 2010. McDonald was pulled over after being recorded going 94 mph in a 65 mph zone of Interstate 280 in June 2010.

The 49ers issued a release Wednesday saying they "are aware of the recent matter involving Ray McDonald. We are gathering the relevant facts and monitoring the developments closely."

McDonald was released at 7 a.m., according to The Merc's report. According to the San Mateo County District Attorney's office, McDonald pled no contest to driving drunk in December 2010 and was put on probation and required to take a first offender's class that everyone convicted of DUI must take. He either failed to complete that class or failed to supply proof he had completed the class, and on Aug. 9 a warrant was issued for his arrest in the amount of $7,500.

That incident follows one involving rookie Aldon Smith, who was pulled over and charged with DUI in Miami Beach last month. Smith, according to police, was swerving in and out of lanes and registered .194 and .175 on two breathalyzer tests. He was released after posting a $1,000 bond.

Both Smith and McDonald were key pieces in the 49ers' relentless defense this season. McDonald signed a five-year, $20 million contract before the season and was made a starter opposite Justin Smith. McDonald finished with 39 tackles, 5 ½ sacks and two forced fumbles.

-- Matt Barrows

PEBBLE BEACH - Anyone still questioning Jim Harbaugh's commitment to Alex Smith for the upcoming season ought to consider this: Smith will serve as Harbaugh's caddie Thursday during the AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach.

Talks have not yet begun on a new contract for Smith, who is one of the 49ers' six starters from 2011 scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next month. But both men left no doubt that Smith would be back for the 2012 season. "Obviously Alex is as high a priority as anyone on our team," Harbaugh said after stepping off the 18th green at Pebble Beach.

Their recent actions may speak even louder than Harbaugh's words. He and Smith almost have become a father-son duo, first carpooling from the South Bay to Pebble Beach on Tuesday and then pairing during a five-hole shootout with members of the San Francisco Giants organization. The 49ers' duo of Dwight Clark and Brent Jones won the tournament - as well as $30,000 to various charities - when Clark hit a three-foot putt on the 18th hole.

"It's like The Catch," someone shouted from the crowd as Clark lined up for the shot.

"I knew what I was doing then," Clark quipped before sinking the putt dead center.

Smith, meanwhile, plays golf like he handles quarterback - with few turnovers. He and Giants pitcher Matt Cain were the biggest drivers of the group, the difference being that Smith's tee shots usually ended up safely between the fringes.

With recent talk in NFL circles centered on where 11-time Pro Bowl quarterback Peyton Manning might end up should the Colts release him, Smith's and Harbaugh's recent behavior suggested that it won't be San Francisco. On Saturday Smith was in Indianapolis to accept the "Coach of the Year" award on Harbaugh's behalf.

"I didn't feel comfortable going up and giving a deep bow, you know, for what our players accomplished," said Harbaugh when asked why he didn't attend. "... I thought that was for the players."

On Thursday, the two will reverse roles with Smith giving advice as Harbaugh takes to the links again in the pro am tournament. Harbaugh and Cain will be in the group with professionals Ryan Moore and Matt Bettencourt and will tee off at 8:55 a.m. at the Spyglass Hill course.

The tournament will include fellow quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Tony Romo, and Romo will be paired with Tiger Woods. Smith was invited to play in the tournament but had a prior engagement this weekend and could only take part on Thursday when he'll be in charge of managing Harbaugh.

"Definitely got some competitive juices flowing," the 49ers coach said. "The biggest thing is that I'd like to finish ahead of Bill Belichick, Nick Saban, Bob Stoops and Herm Edwards."

-- Matt Barrows

Before the most recent free-agency period began, everyone thought that David Baas and Takeo Spikes would be back with the 49ers and that they'd probably lose safety Dashon Goldson to a big free-agent deal elsewhere. It didn't happen that way, which goes to show that no one - not even the teams themselves - knows exactly what's going to happen beginning on March 13 at 1 p.m.

Instead the following reading of the tea leaves is meant to give a sense of what is most likely to occur during the offseason. We'll start with the safeties.

Safety

The 49ers have three safeties -- Dashon Goldson, Reggie Smith and Madieu Williams - who will be unrestricted free agents, and a fourth, C.J. Spillman, who is a restricted free agent. Goldson is the priority here and is perhaps second only to quarterback Alex Smith in terms of free agents the team most wants to re-sign. He emerged this year as one of the top safeties in the league, came away with six interceptions, made the Pro Bowl and is only 27 years old.

The 49ers have leverage in this case. Goldson either can sign a five-year deal similar to the one that was offered, but rejected, by Goldson and agent Drew Rosenhaus last year or they can make him their franchise player, which the 49ers could do as early as Feb. 20. That would cost San Francisco roughly $6 million. The other bit of leverage is that there will be a ton of free-agent safeties on the market (see below) which, like last year, will dilute their individual worth. That is, there's a good chance Goldson will be back.

The most interesting player at the position may be Spillman. Of all the 49ers backups, he's the most aggressive and hard-hitting and the most like Goldson. His tackle on Baltimore's Ray Rice at the goal line on Nov. 24 was one of the 49ers' top defensive plays of the season. The 49ers had Spillman in a prominent role at safety at the beginning on training camp with the hope of giving him as much experience as possible at safety. He played in goal-line and short-yardage situations during the season and arguably was the 49ers' top special teams player.

The 49ers also signed safety Mark LeGree to a future contract and changed another youngster's position - that of Cory Nelms - from cornerback to safety. Nelms, an undrafted rookie in 2011, put on about 10 pounds during the season.

Strong safeties
Considine, Sean - Arizona
Sanders, James - Atlanta
Zbikowski, Tom - Baltimore
Steltz, Craig - Chicago
Elam, Abram - Dallas
Dawkins, Brian - Denver
Coleman, Erik - Detroit
Harris, Chris - Detroit
Barber, Dominique - Houston
Brown, CC - Jacksonville
Johnson, Tyrell - Minnesota
Ihedigbo, James - NE
Lockett, Bret - NE RFA
Martin, Derrick - NYG
Leonhard, Jim - Jets
Branch, Tyvon - Oakland
Gregory, Steve - San Diego
Sanders, Bob - San Diego
Spillman, CJ - SF RFA
Jones, Sean - TB
Babineaux, Jordan - Tennessee
Hope, Chris - Tennessee
Landry, LaRon - Washington

Free safety
Johnson, Rashad - Arizona RFA
Decoud, Thomas - Atlanta
Nakamura, Haruki - Baltimore
Scott, Bryan - Buffalo
Meriweather, Brdn - Chicago
Nelson, Reggie - Cincinnati
Wilson, Gibril - Cincinnati
Adams, Mike - Cleveland
Demps, Quintin - Houston RFA
Lowery, Dwight - Jacksonville
Greene, Courtney - Jacksonville RFA
McGraw, Jon - KC
Piscitelli, Sabby - KC
Abdullah, Husain - Minnesota
Page, Jarrad - Minnesota
Grant, Deon - NYG
Pool, Brodney - Jets
Giordano, Matt - Oakland
Mundy, Ryan - Pittsburgh RFA
Oliver, Paul - San Diego
Bigby, Atari - Seattle
Goldson, Dashon - SF
Williams, Madieu - SF
Smith, Reggie - SF
Butler, James - Rams
Lynch, Corey - TB
Griffin, Michael - Tennessee
Smith, Anthony - Tennessee

-- Matt Barrows

Gamble has spent seven seasons with the 49ers. A year ago he was promoted from Director of Pro Personnel to Director of Player Personnel, which allowed him to oversee both the college and pro personnel departments. Director of college scouting Joel Patten currently is third in line behind Baalke and Gamble.

Gamble worked alongside new Rams coach Jeff Fisher when they were in Philadelphia - Fisher as defensive coordinator and Gamble as a college scouting administrator, area scout, contract negotiator and ultimately the director of pro scouting.

The Rams are considering a number of candidates for the job, including: Vikings Director of Player Personnel George Paton, Jets Vice President of College Scouting Joey Clinkscales, Dolphins Director of Player Personnel Brian Gaine and Cardinals Director of Player Personnel Steve Keim.

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The 49ers are giving Brad Seely an assistant. According to Fox Sports, the 49ers plan to hire Tracy Smith, who was Seeley's assistant special teams coach in Cleveland in 2010. Smith last year was an assistant for the Seahawks. Offensive quality control coach Ejiro Evero filled as Seely's assistant last season.

-- Matt Barrows

Lessons from the Super Bowl? The most important one is something the 49ers already knew going into the game - they were oh-so-close to winning a championship this year and that their biggest priority for the offseason should be keeping the current squad together.

That starts with the coach staff. Remarkably, the 49ers have had no major defections since the season ended on Jan. 22, and the coaches I've spoken with have said there's been a concentrated effort to keep everyone together. That, of course, can change quickly. If an assistant gets a high-ranking job on another team, he often will leave with several other coaches. So far, however, the only coach to leave is offensive quality control coach Bobby Engram, who was hired by Pitt to coach its wide receivers. (Side note: The Raiders' defensive coordinator position was filled with former 49ers linebackers coach Jason Tarver. Last year Tarver was Stanford's defensive coordinator).

The tougher task will be retaining the team's unrestricted free agents, six of whom were starters in 2011. The 49ers can begin going about that at on Feb. 20, which is the first date to assign the franchise tag (see calendar below).

On a related note, it must have been painful for the 49ers players - especially the defensive players - to watch the Giants win the Super Bowl. Eli Manning now has two titles, and he's not only attracting the word "elite" but the moniker, "Hall-of-Fame quarterback." The 49ers, of course, squandered two, perhaps three, chances at interceptions of Manning in the NFC Championship game. Had they taken advantage of those opportunities, the Manning rhetoric would be subdued.

The Super Bowl also was interesting because, like the 49ers, the Patriots needed at least one more dependable pass catcher. Tight end Rob Gronkowski was obviously limited throughout the game, which left Tom Brady and the offense with fewer options than he had in the regular seasons. Like the 49ers, New England could stand to add a young receiver or two in the draft. They'll have the 31st pick in the draft - one selection behind the 49ers.

NFL calendar:

Feb 20-Mar 5: Teams may designate franchise or transition player
Feb 22-28: Scouting combine
March 13, 1 p.m.: Start of league year (beginning of free agency)
April 26-28: NFL draft

-- Matt Barrows

Aaron Rodgers grew up in Chico idolizing Joe Montana and the 49ers, and he wore a Joe Montana T-shirt under his Cal uniform when he played for the Bears. But it wasn't until today at the NFL Honors ceremony in Indianapolis that Rodgers had a chance to meet Montana.

Rodgers was named the league's MVP at the ceremony, and it was clear that having a chance to chat with Montana and Steve Young - whom Rodgers called "a good friend" - were still on his mind as he accepted the award.

"I was a big Niners fan as a kid - thanks for drafting me," said Rodgers to laughter from the crowd, which included the player the 49ers did draft No. 1 overall in 2005, Alex Smith. Smith, meanwhile, finished third in the "Comeback Player" category, but he had his own turn on stage in accepting the Coach of the Year award for Jim Harbaugh.

Judging from shots of the crowd, at least two other coach-of-the-year candidates, New Orleans' Sean Payton and Detroit's Jim Schwartz, were on hand. Harbaugh and brother John were not.

"He probably would say that he doesn't deserve this," Smith told the crowd. "That's the type of guy he is. He'd give all the credit to the players, to the assistant coaches. From someone who's had one or two coaches in my career, I'd just like to tell you this is well-deserved. Congratulations, coach."

-- Matt Barrows

Jim Harbaugh is making good on his desire to follow in the footsteps of Bill Walsh. Harbaugh on Saturday became the first 49ers coach since Walsh in 1981 to win the "Coach of the Year" award given by the Associated Press. Like Walsh three decades ago, Harbaugh took a team that finished 6-10 the previous year to a 13-3 record and the NFC Championship game.

Upon being hired last year, Harbaugh said he long-admired Walsh, who like Harbaugh coached at Stanford before being hired by the 49ers. Harbaugh spent six months learning from Walsh before Walsh's passing in 2007. "Everything that came out of his mind, his heart, his mouth -- I hung on every single word," Harbaugh said upon being hired.

Walsh's squad ended up winning the 1981 championship game as well as the next one, Super Bowl XVI, Harbaugh's 49ers fell short, losing to the Giants in overtime. Still, the turnaround in San Francisco was enough to convince voters he deserved the top honor among coaches. He received 45 of 50 possible votes. Green Bay's Mike McCarthy, whose team went 15-1 in 2011, finished with three votes; Denver's John Fox had two.

"He probably would say that he doesn't deserve this," Smith told the crowd. "That's the type of guy he is. He'd give all the credity to the players, to the assistant coaches. From someone who's had one or two coaches in my career, I'd just like to tell you this is well-deserved. Congratulations, coach."

Smith, meanwhile, finished third (seven votes) for the "Comeback Player" award, which is given to the player who overcomes an obstacle - typically an injury - from the previous year. The award went to Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford who twice injured his throwing shoulder in 2010 but who threw for 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns this past season.

Joining Smith in Indianapolis were his favorite target, tight end Vernon Davis, and a trio of linebackers, NaVorro Bowman, Aldon Smith and Patrick Willis. Aldon Smith finished the regular season with 14 sacks and came within a half sack of the single-season record for a rookie. Still, he trailed Denver linebacker Von Miller - 39 votes to 11 -- for the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Smith entered games in passing situations and didn't start any contests. Miller, meanwhile, finished with 11 ½ sacks. But he started 15 games and became one of the most visible players on the Broncos defense.

Defensive end Justin Smith finished with six votes for Defensive Player of the Year, an honor that was taken by Baltimore outside linebacker Terrell Suggs. Willis and Bowman also received votes in that category.

Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers was named the league's Most Valuable Player, beating out New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees for that honor 48 votes to two. Upon accepting the award, Rodgers, a Chico native who wore a Joe Montana t-shirt under his uniform while at Cal, couldn't resist a jab at the 49ers, who had the No. 1 draft pick when Rodgers entered the NFL. Rodgers said he grew up watching Montana and Steve Young, was a big fan of the 49ers, "and I'd like to thank them for drafting me."

Brees, who set the single-season mark for passing yards this year, won Offensive Player of the Year. Carolina quarterback Cam Newton won Offensive Rookie of the Year while Ravens center Matt Birk was the Walker Payton Man of the Year for his work in the community.

* Coach of the Year: Jim Harbaugh
* Defensive Rookie of the Year: Von Miller
* Offensive Rookie of the Year: Cam Newton
* Comeback Player: Matthew Stafford
* Walter Payton Man of Year: Matt Birk
* Defensive Player of the Year: Terrell Suggs
* Offensive Player of the Year: Drew Brees
* Most Valuable Player: Aaron Rodgers

-- Matt Barrows

Eddie DeBartolo, Jr. may have five Super Bowl rings, but he is still looking for one hall-of-fame nod.

The former 49ers owner last month ventured as close as he's been to the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he was named one of 15 modern-day finalists. On Saturday, however, DeBartolo didn't make the first cut as 44 NFL writers ultimately pared the list to six names.

Defensive end/linebacker Charles Haley, who won five Super Bowls with the 49ers and Cowboys, made the cut from 15 to 10 players but will not be part of the 2012 class either. That class contains one former 49er, defensive end Chris Dolemen, who played in San Francisco in 1996-98 but who spent most of his career with the Vikings.

Former Raiders receiver Tim Brown also was a finalist but was not voted in this year. DeBartolo, who was in Tampa, Fla. Saturday, said through a spokeswoman that he was "truly humbled to have made it to the top 15 and that he's proud of his and his teams' accomplishments over the years."

In addition to Doleman, the other members of the 2012 class are:

• Steelers C Dermontti Dawson
• Seahawks NT Cortez Kennedy
• Jets RB Curtis Martin
• Saints OT Willie Roaf
• Steelers CB Jack Butler

Brown, for example, set Raiders franchise records for receptions, receiving yards, and punt return yards, and his 14,934 receiving yards were second-most in NFL history at the time of his retirement. But he will have to wait to be enshrined. Two other prolific receivers from Brown's era, Cris carter and Andre Reed, also fell short.

DeBartolo and former Giants coach Bill Parcells, meanwhile, were the only two non players on the list of 15 finalists, and so-called "contributors" have difficulty getting in. According to voters, there was a regional bias towards both men with West Coast writers favoring DeBartolo and East Coast writers backing Parcells. In the end, it appears the two cancelled each other out.

-- Matt Barrows

The battle between the 49ers and Giants rages on. In a meeting room of the Indianapolis JW Marriott on Saturday, 44 NFL writers from around the country will debate which of 15 modern-day Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists deserve a bust in the hall. Two of the most recognizable names: former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo, Jr. and Bill Parcells, the former Giants coach.

The problem is that neither man played in the NFL, and getting a single non-player - much less two - into a hall-of-fame class is difficult. One voter predicted Friday that either Parcells or DeBartolo would have to be eliminated in the first round of voting or they would end up cancelling each other out in the final vote. Another said that DeBartolo's chances are "probably better than 50-50." Others are more skeptical.

Adding to the debate is a provincial split that pits West Coast voters who favor DeBartolo against East Coast voters who will side with Parcells.

Parcells, who compiled a 183-138-1 record as head coach, was the first coach to take four separate teams to the playoffs, and he won two Super Bowls with the Giants. Parcells also was a finalist in 2001 and 2002 but was not selected because voters suspected - correctly - that his retirement at the time would not last.

This is the first time that DeBartolo, the 49ers' owner from 1977-2000, is a finalist, and thus the first time that voters will debate his candidacy. The argument against him is threefold, according to voters.

Others cite the Louisiana gambling scandal of 1997 that eventually caused DeBartolo to relinquish control of the team to his sister, Denise, and her husband, John York. Supporters note that DeBartolo was the victim in that case - former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards extorted $400,000 from him to win a casino license - and that DeBartolo has since been exonerated by the NFL.

The third knock on DeBartolo involves salary-cap violations in the late 1990s that resulted in nearly $1 million in fines and the loss of two 49ers draft picks. Supporters argue that if that type of mischief prevents an owner from reaching the hall of fame, it will make it difficult for future candidates, such as the Patriots' Robert Kraft, whose team was embroiled in the spygate scandal, to be inducted in coming years.

This year appears to be an excellent one for a non-player like Parcells or DeBartolo to get into the hall of fame because there are no players, such as Jerry Rice or Emmitt Smith, who are shoo-ins. And there is precedent for two non-football classmates: Both a coach, Don Shula, and an owner, the Giants' Wellington Mara, were inducted in 1997.

The best argument for DeBartolo: His teams made it to the playoffs 16 times, won 13 division titles, played in 10 championship games and became the first to win five Super Bowls. During that time, DeBartolo set a standard in the modern era, not just in the NFL but in all of professional sports, in the spare-no-expenses way he ran his club.

A number of current owners, including the Cowboys' Jerry Jones, the Patriots' Kraft and the Broncos' Pat Bowlen, sought DeBartolo's counsel upon purchasing their clubs. And DeBartolo remains a heavy influence on the man now running the 49ers, nephew Jed York, with whom he speaks regularly.

"He's been one of the greatest owners in the history of professional sports," York said this week. "And he's been a great inspiration to me and many people involved with sports."

-- Matt Barrows

The NFL is trading in shoulder pads and chin straps for tuxedos and cummerbunds Saturday. It used to be that the league's biggest awards were announced with a series of press releases.

This year, however, the NFL has gone Hollywood with an Oscars-like award show. Alec Baldwin - in an episode of "30 Rock," his character was disappointed to learn he owned the Buffalo Bills -- will host. The show will be taped Saturday night in Indianapolis and will run from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. simultaneously on NBC and NFL Network.

Several 49ers, including quarterback Alex Smith, linebackers NaVorro Bowman, Aldon Smith and Patrick Willis, and tight end Vernon Davis are expected to attend. Here are the main awards, which are chosen by The Associated Press.

Most Valuable Player
Top candidates: Drew Brees, New Orleans; Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay; Tom Brady, New England.
Lowdown: The awards are for the regular season, so Rodgers' flameout in the divisional round of the playoffs should not count. That Brees broke Dan Marino's single-season yardage record is likely to ring loudly in voters' minds. But the fact that Rodgers followed up a Super Bowl title with a one-loss season is the bigger feat. The last player other than a quarterback or running back to win this award - Lawrence Taylor in 1986.
Who should win: Rodgers
Who will win: Brees

Defensive player of the Year
Top candidates: Justin Smith, 49ers; Terell Suggs, Baltimore; Jared Allen, Minnesota.
Lowdown: Smith was the rugged spirit of a 49ers blue-collar defense. He got stronger as games - and the season - wore on, and he made everyone around him, from Aldon Smith to NaVorro Bowman to Carlos Rogers, better. But voters will be dazzled by Allen's sack total (22 vs. 7 ½ for Smith), and he'll take the prize.
Who should win: Smith
Who will win: Allen

Comeback Player
Top candidates: Alex Smith, 49ers; Plaxico Burress, New York Jets; Matthew Stafford, Detroit.
Lowdown: This award is for perseverance in overcoming an obstacle, and it's usually given to a player who is coming back from an injury. Stafford injured his throwing shoulder - twice - in 2010 but made a triumphant return by throwing for 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns this past season. Smith's obstacle, meanwhile, was outlasting two defensive-minded coaches.
Who should win: Stafford
Who will win: Stafford.

Coach of the Year
Top candidates: Jim Harbaugh, 49ers; Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati; Tom Coughlin, New York Giants.
Lowdown: This should be a cinch for Harbaugh. Lewis took the Bengals to the playoffs with a rookie quarterback, which is impressive. Coughlin shut up his critics by winning the NFC East. Harbaugh's 49ers, however, won 13 games and wrapped up the No. 2 seed in the playoffs with a team that hadn't had a winning record since 2002. That he did so following a lockout-shortened offseason puts him over the top.
Who should win: Harbaugh
Who will win: Harbaugh

Defensive rookie of the Year
Top Candidates: Aldon Smith, 49ers; Von Miller, Denver; J.J. Watt, Houston; Ryan Kerrigan, Washington.
Lowdown: This will be a two-man race between Miller, the second overall pick and Smith, who went seventh. Smith is the sturdier player, the bigger handful for offensive linemen, and he finished with more sacks - 14 vs. 11 ½ -- than Miller. But he didn't start a single game, and Miller's profile likely was boosted by Tebowmania at the end of the season.
Who should win: Smith
Who will win: Miller

Offensive rookie of the Year
Top Candidates: Cam Newton, Carolina; Andy Dalton, Cincinnati; A.J. Green, Cincinnati
Lowdown: The connection that Dalton and Green had in 2011 - 1,057 yards, seven touchdowns -- was amazing, even more so considering they had little offseason to work together. But they will be eclipsed by Newton, who has star potential unseen in the league for decades.
Who should win: Newton
Who will win: Newton

-- Matt Barrows

Walls are coming down and funds are coming in in preparation for the 49ers' billion-dollar stadium in Santa Clara. Team President Jed York announced, via Twitter, that the NFL had given the green light for $200 million to be spent toward the 49ers' 68,000-seat venue, which will be ready before the 2015 season and perhaps a year earlier.

"With the NFL's muscle now behind the new stadium, we are moving forward," York said in a statement. "I expect an official ground-breaking ceremony very soon. Get your hard hats ready; we are embarking on the path to the next generation of 49ers football."

The 49ers' facility is the first to be funded under a new loan program that came about as part of the new collective bargaining agreement last year. Under the old program, teams received $150 million in loans.

In early December, the team secured $850 million in loans from Goldman Sachs, U.S. Bank and Bank of America. That money is expected to be repaid from revenue generated by ticket sales, suite sales, sponsorships and naming-rights deals. In addition, the city of Santa Clara's redevelopment agency will contribute about $40 million. A hotel tax will add another $35 million.

Work already has begun on the project as surveyors have been busy measuring distances on the parking lot on which the stadium will be built. Earlier this week, a wall at the 49ers' current practice facility, which will be built into the new stadium, was demolished. Groundbreaking on the stadium is expected to begin later this year.

-- Matt Barrows