Madden: Niners owner should side with Harbaugh

If the 49ers only keep one of these guys, John Madden says it should be Jim Harbaugh. (USATSI)

Former NFL coach and broadcaster John Madden lives just outside of San Francisco, so he's had a front row seat to the ongoing drama that the 49ers have become. It's gotten so bad in the Bay Area that there could come a day where the team has to choose between coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Trent Baalke, according to CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora.

More 49ers San Francisco's 2014 offseason preview

If that day comes, Madden thinks the 49ers should dump Baalke and keep Harbaugh, "It's a lot easier to get a suit than it is to get a coach," Madden told KCBS on Wednesday. "The owner has to pick the coach."

Basically, Madden doesn't think the 49ers should get rid of Harbaugh because they won't find anyone better to replace him with.

"Jim Harbaugh has done a great job of coaching in the NFL no matter how you put it," Madden said. "Getting to three championship games in a row with that group or with any group is a heck of a thing that he's done... You tell me where they're going to get a guy that's any better than him."

Madden knows something about dysfunction, he won Super Bowl XI as the coach of a Raiders team owned by Al Davis. The 77-year-old Pro Football Hall of Famer says the power plays need to stop in San Francisco.

"The best model [for running the team] is they get along," Madden said. "Eventually they have to come to a decision together. It can't be a power play. It can't be where one wants one player and one wants the other, and they have to have a power play over it. And if they do, I think the coach has to have it, because if he doesn't like the guy and if he's not going to coach him and play him, then it doesn't do any good to draft him."

Madden thinks that Harbaugh should absolutely have the final call on the 49ers roster, "When you get down to 53 [players], I think the coach has to do that. He has to decide who the players are going to be," Madden said. "The other power -- salary cap and all of that stuff -- I wouldn't want anything to do with that and I don't think coaches should."

NFL Hot News

Chiefs intend to reduce RB Jamaal Charles' workload



Jamaal Charles had a marvelous season. He gained more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage, averaged five yards per carry and scored a league-high 19 touchdowns. He led the Chiefs in rushing yards, receiving yards and receptions. He finished second in the MVP voting and led many of you to fantasy championships.What's possibly even more amazing is how Charles' body was able to handle everything the Chiefs demanded. Charles touched the ball 329 times and remained relatively healthy for the entire season despite weighing about 200 pounds. Actually, Charles has remained unbroken in the last two seasons as he took on 649 combined touches. That much work on a small frame usually spells disaster in the NFL, and head coach Andy Reid recognizes that. According to ESPN.com's Adam Teicher on Thursday, Reid indicated that he intends to use Charles a little less and backup runing back Knile Davis a little more in 2014."Knile was a rookie and he was learning every week and getting better every week," Reid said. "As the season went on we were able to give him the ball a little bit more. Coming into this season, we'll be able to mix it up a little bit better than what we did early in the season last year."



Charles rested in Week 17 and exited the Chiefs' playoff game during the first quarter due to a concussion. In those two games, Davis carried the ball 45 times for 148 yards and three touchdowns. He added nine receptions for 38 yards and another score. Davis is close to 230 pounds and ran a 4.37-40 at the 2013 Combine, which is just freaky. He broke a leg in that playoff game but should be ready for OTAs.Kansas City's offense will still be centered around the ground game, and Charles will still be their horse. So he won't touch the ball 330 times again; how do you feel about 290? He'll be just fine. Davis' late-season burst makes him a must-own handcuff.