Rumblings about Jim Harbaugh and his status inside the San Francisco 49ers' locker room won't go away, even with the team back to its winning ways. Following the Niners' come-from-behind victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he is hearing that some players no longer want to play for Harbaugh.
Deion Sanders says 49ers players want Jim Harbaugh gone
Both Sanders and Ian Rapoport are reporting that the San Francisco coach has lost the support of his locker room.
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
“They want him out,” said Sanders, who is reported to have close ties to a prominent 49ers player. “They’re not on the same page.”
Harbaugh has led the 49ers to a 38-13-1 regular-season record, three NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl appearance -- but has reportedly spurned his players.
Interest in Harbaugh
Interest in Harbaugh
“I really want to know if they’re really playing for the head coach,” Sanders said. “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.”
On Sunday morning, Sanders’ NFL Network associate Ian Rapoport reported that “[49ers] veterans are grumbling already about Jim Harbaugh, and the voices are getting louder and louder.”
Rapoport claimed that some of the discontent had to do with losing -- the team was 1-2 before Sunday -- but that Harbaugh’s treatment of veterans was a major concern.
“Some of the complaints include the fact that he kind of treats them like children,” Rapoport said. “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.”
Sanders echoed that report later in the day.
“They really got some problems that we hear rumblings. We all know people inside locker rooms.”
There is speculation that Sanders' source is wide receiver Michael Crabtree, who he's known to have a close relationship with, but Sanders denies it's the 49ers receiver. Sanders was the first to report that Crabtree was ending an extended holdout after a rookie contract dispute in 2009.
To many that this may concern @KingCrab15 is not my source. My sources wears uniforms,suits and ties. #Truth
— DeionSanders (@DeionSanders) September 29, 2014 See More:
