10 NFL offseason headlines no fan wants to see
By Dani Bostick
3. Any headline involving the 2015 San Francisco 49ers
Fans of some teams are probably best served avoiding all team news in the offseason. In 2015, the San Francisco 49ers produced a laundry list of disappointing headlines. Even the 49ers new facility, Levi’s Stadium, was a source of negative coverage as analysts questioned whether or not the turf would be in good enough condition for Super Bowl 50. (Spoiler: It was in terrible condition.)
Coaching changes were a source of drama and angst and Jim Harbaugh left the organization and took a job coaching Michigan. The team also lost several key players in free agency including guard Mike Iupati and Frank Gore. They lost other players, including newcomer Chris Borland, to early retirement.
It is no surprise that of all the negative coverage the most annoying headlines had to do with Jim Harbaugh. After his retirement, defensive lineman Justin Smith claimed that players liked Harbaugh. While those comments were positive, they made the front office seem dysfunctional and inept. USA Today described the split as a divorce, and predicted there would be tough times ahead for the team. (Spoiler alert: 2015 was a very, very tough season for the team.)
The 49ers won’t be the last team to have such a rough offseason. In fact, fans of many teams around the league can relate.
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