49ers fire coach Jim Tomsula 2 hours after overtime win in finale

SANTA CLARA - The announcement came 2 hours and 8 minutes after the game had ended, and about 90 minutes after Jim Tomsula had addressed the media.

Tomsula was gone, fired after one full season that resulted in a 5-11 record and a last-place finish in the NFC West.

“Crazy biz,” 49ers wide receiver Torrey Smith tweeted just after his team made it official.

Ain't that the truth. The Niners went out on a high note, with a 19-16 overtime victory against the St. Louis Rams, and there was no hint of an axe falling as the coach and players dissected the game and season with reporters afterward.

And then the 49ers released a statement quoting CEO Jed York, who has been otherwise silent throughout the season.

“Jimmy has been a valuable member of the 49ers organization for the last nine years,” York said. “We all know he is a man of high character, and his contributions on the field and in our community have always been greatly appreciated. This entire organization is proud and grateful to have worked so closely alongside Jimmy. We all wish him and his family great success in the future.”

York is scheduled to field questions at a 10:30 a.m. press conference today. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the owner will meet with players at 9 a.m. to discuss the situation.

Already, a potential replacement has emerged. ESPN reported Sunday evening that the 49ers are expected to take a run at Sean Payton if he is fired by the New Orleans Saints as many expect. CSN Bay Area reported that the new coach, whoever he may be, will have discretion to keep any assistants from the current staff, which includes offensive coordinator Geep Chryst and defensive coordinator Eric Mangini.

Tomsula's dismissal represents a failure for York and general manager Trent Baalke. They took a large risk when they forced out former coach Jim Harbaugh after four seasons, three appearances in the NFC championship game and an overall record of 49-22-1. Clearly, it didn't pay off.

They replaced Harbaugh with Tomsula on Jan. 15, and practically nothing has gone right since then. Several high-profile players, including linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland, retired in the offseason, and the team was beset by numerous injuries during the course of the season. Tomsula and his staff did little to compensate for their misfortune.

Tomsula stumbled through press conferences and frequently made decisions that were deemed overly cautious. That was true right up until the end. With the game tied and 1:39 left in regulation Sunday, the 49ers faced fourth-and-4 at the Rams' 37. Tomsula could have sent Phil Dawson out for a 55-yard attempt or let quarterback Blaine Gabbert and the offense try for a first down. Instead he dialed up a punt, which netted only 17 yards when it bounced into the end zone.

And yet there were signs of optimism. The team fought hard to beat the Rams, overcoming a 16-10 halftime deficit. And shortly after addressing the team, Tomsula expressed no immediate danger. “I have not talked to ownership,” he said. “Haven't had any conversations of the such. Wouldn't expect to until the season is over.”

He added that he had no meetings scheduled with York either Sunday night or this morning. Either he was keeping information close to the vest, or he was waylaid with a pink slip.

Not that no one saw it coming. A few hours before the game, Pro Football Talk reported that Baalke would retain his job, but that Tomsula would be fired. Fox's Jay Glazer confirmed a similar scenario.

The 49ers players might not have been entirely surprised, either, but that doesn't mean they greeted the news happily. After the game, they unanimously praised Tomsula.

“He did a tremendous job,” Dawson said. “There was a lot of stuff this year we had to grind through. … And he came to work each and every day, was consistent, had great perspective. I thought he taught well.”

Fullback Bruce Miller, asked what he enjoyed most about playing for Tomsula, said: “The passion and the energy that he brought for his players. I mean, he loved every one of us and wanted us to be successful. So that's what I'll hold onto. And moving forward, we just want to get better for him.”

Miller went so far as to publicly cast his ballot when asked if he thought the 49ers should retain Tomsula.

“Absolutely. Absolutely,” Miller said. “You work together towards a common goal, and you build relationships, and I think that's a huge part of it. We love everybody in this locker room.”

For the record, the 49ers outgained the Rams, a team that beat the Seattle Seahawks just a week earlier, 458 yards to 364 in Tomsula's final game. And this was with five new starters layered onto the many others forced into action in 2015. At his last presser, Tomsula admitted he felt he deserved another year at the helm.

“Well, you're a coach. You always think that,” he said. “How you think about that and those things, that's irrelevant.”

On this matter, Tomsula was 100 percent right.

You can reach Staff Writer Phil Barber at phil.barber@pressdemocrat.com.