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Niners fire coach Erickson
Jan. 5, 2005
By Clark Judge
SportsLine.com Senior Writer

Dennis Erickson is out as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, two sources close to the club said Wednesday.

Erickson reportedly was fired after meeting with owner John York on Wednesday morning. Erickson was dimissed, one source said, after he was asked to release some of his assistants and refused.

Erickson, who had three years left on his contract, will be paid the remaining $7.5 million on his deal, sources said.

The move ends two turbulent seasons for Erickson and the 49ers. The club was 9-23 under his direction, including a franchise-worst 2-14 this season.

Erickson's dismissal was not unexpected. In recent weeks he made it clear he would stand by his assistants, resistant to York's calls for a shakeup of the staff.

Erickson was hired in 2003 to replace Steve Mariucci, fired after the 49ers reached the playoffs the previous two seasons.

The club was expected to make an announcement later today.

That's no surprise. He was basically told before the end of the season that if he didn't make any staff changes, he'd be gone. I think that's why he went ahead and did the interview with Ole Miss. What surprised me is that they fired Donahue as well but then again, since DeBartolo lost ownership of that club, it's gone downhill. Not that I'm sorry to see it happen since it's a comeuppance for "the catch" but it's obvious that the York's are completely clueless.