49ers GM Baalke confirms he's been fired
San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke confirmed he's been fired ahead of the team's final game of the 2016 season, according to Kevin Jones of KNBR.
The Niners have struggled to a 2-13 campaign that included a 13-game losing streak. The team was rumored to be preparing to relieve both Baalke and coach Chip Kelly of their duties.
"It didn't surprise me," Baalke said Sunday of his firing. "We've done some awful good things. Some very successful seasons. Unfortunately, (I) regret we weren't able to bring a championship to the Bay Area, which they so deserve."
Baalke had been the team's general manager for the past six seasons. In that time, the 49ers went from a Super Bowl appearance in 2012 to a top-three pick in next year's draft.
Baalke hired Jim Harbaugh as his head coach, but fired him after the 2014 season despite the coach's 44-19-1 record in four seasons. Harbaugh was replaced by Jim Tomsula, a career assistant, who went 5-11. Tomsula was fired after one year at the helm and replaced by Kelly.
Baalke was the architect of a team that reached three conference title games, but the Niners leaked talented players in his final three seasons.
"Sometimes you need to reset the culture," Baalke said. "When you have a winning culture, which we did in 2011, '12, '13 and '14, a lot of good football players. A lot of memorable games we went through together. Then you transition. At some point, those veteran guys move on."
Kelly remained on the sidelines for the 49ers' final game of the year against the Seattle Seahawks.