It was not long ago the 49ers were among the NFL’s elite. Led by former head coach Jim Harbaugh, the reemergence of the franchise was a breath of fresh air for a fan base that had been deprived of quality football for quite some time.
Before Harbaugh’s first season in 2011, nine years had gone by without a single winning season. If you remove Harbaugh’s tenure from 2011-2014, the 49ers have had two winning seasons since 1999, per Pro Football Reference.
Some sub-par football to say the least.
When the 49ers hired Harbaugh, it was a sign of optimism.