The San Francisco 49ers are putting up a strong showing in Week 17 against the Seattle Seahawks, but the interesting part of the day is the sideshow surrounding general manager Trent Baalke and head coach Chip Kelly. Reports circulated Saturday night and Sunday morning that both had been fired.
Baalke confirmed the firing on the KNBR pre-game show, and that was then followed by a very random report from KPIX sports director Dennis O’Donnell. He tweeted that Trent Baalke was escorted out of the team’s facility.
Source: 49ers former GM Trent Baalke just escorted out of 49er headquarters
— Dennis O'Donnell (@KPIXSPORTS) January 1, 2017
The 49ers quickly offered up an official statement to the media that Baalke is watching the game from the team’s player personnel booth. Cam Inman also briefly spoke with Baalke in the press box.
I just spoke w/ Trent Baalke in press box. He has no plans for next step: I’m going to take a few days, catch my breath and see what happens
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) January 1, 2017
Considering Baalke made his pre-game appearance on the 49ers flagship radio station, it would have been odd that he would then be escorted out. He had a professional interview, acknowledging the firing and sounding accepting of it. If the 49ers did not want him in the facility, I am fairly certain we would not have heard him on KNBR.
That being said, the Dennis O’Donnell report did crack me up a bit. I would love to know who told him that had happened. Here was my favorite response to the report, as it is the kind of thing that popped into my head. Either this, or Baalke being led out by security with a box of his personal effects.
@KPIXSPORTS this sounds like he committed tax fraud on a national level and is getting arrested by feds
— Johan (@TheHemperor) January 1, 2017