Jerry Rice's media tour on Tuesday has turned into a hard truth session on current 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Earlier in the day, it was Rice saying that players told him Harbaugh's college-style coaching wasn't working in San Francisco.
"I have heard some complaints from some players that he likes to try to coach with the collegiate mentality, and that's just not going to work in the NFL," Rice said at a charity event on Tuesday, via Newsday.
Later on, Rice was more explicit. He thinks Harbaugh is gone at the end of the season no matter what, according to Sports Illustrated.
"We don't really know if he wants to come back and be the head coach for the San Francisco 49ers," he said. "Maybe that's starting to wear and tear on the team and it's taking its toll."
Rice, the franchise's all-time leading receiver and arguably its most important icon, added that the reported friction between general manager Trent Baalke and Harbaugh absolutely has an impact on the locker room.
Like Pittsburgh, San Francisco is a place that usually doesn't get rattled when the talking heads circle. But Pittsburgh endured some pointed criticism from Bill Cowher that seemed to stick. Will Rice's words linger in California?
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