The San Francisco 49ers' 2014 season was so unstable that Jim Harbaugh recently entertained the notion that Jim Tomsula, his replacement as head coach, was campaigning for the job throughout.
Participating at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am on Saturday, former 49ers quarterback Alex Smith expressed "shock" over the abrupt regime change in San Francisco.
"I think for me, it's still just tough to believe all those guys are gone, all that turnover," Smith said, via the San Jose Mercury News. "... There were a lot of ballgames that got won over the last few years, but for whatever reason, they couldn't make it work. I don't know. I wish coach Tomsula well. I wish him the best."
As the starting quarterback in interim coach Tomsula's 38-7 victory to close out the 2010 season, Smith is in a unique position to evaluate the 49ers' new headman.
"I loved what he brought to the team that week," Smith said. "I know he has the ability to be a head coach. He's a good man, a really good coach. I'm pulling for him."
The 49ers' roster isn't without talent, but the deck is stacked against Tomsula after watching Harbaugh, offensive coordinator Greg Roman and esteemed defensive boss Vic Fangio exit the building in a brain drain.
It might not be long before Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree and three-time Pro Bowl guard Mike Iupati follow suit.
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