This week, former San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young, who is now with ESPN, appeared to criticize team ownership for being more concerned with making money than winning games. Young has since clarified what he meant a bit, but the perception is one shared by the 49ers fanbase given management's reluctance to spend money to improve the team.
49ers radio color analyst Tim Ryan joined Murph & Mac on KNBR 680 this morning and addressed that very same perception. "I've had conversations with [Jed York]," Ryan said. "I know what his vision is. I don't think you can grow up around the 49ers in the mid to late 80's and into the early 90's and not understand what your heart wants and what your core wants and he does.
"There's been a variety of decisions since the [Jim] Harbaugh deal that could be debated, one side or the other. I've got my opinion on all of them and I'll keep that to myself for the time being, but Jed's got a vision. Jed's got the right vision. The most important thing to him is winning. The most important thing to him is getting the fanbase back to where it should be for this crown jewel franchise. And make no mistake, we all know it's a crown jewel.
"So there will be changes at the end of the year. He hasn't told me that, but I can connect dots fairly easily. And I don't know exactly what they're going to be but I don't know that it can go any lower than it is for this franchise right now and I talk to a lot of fans. I talk to a lot of 49er heads that love their team and are faithful. The product needs to be better. It's that simple. It's with the players, it's with the coaches, it's with execution, it's with decisions at the top and I can promise you and I can promise the 49er Faithful and the fans that this thing will be turned around and will be headed in the right direction sooner rather than later."
"Jed's going to do what's in the best interest of his football team and for him," Ryan continued. "I'm sure that if there's changes with Chip Kelly, and I'm not so sure there's going to be, but as I said, there will be changes. Significant changes in my opinion."
Of course, as some fans will be quick to point out, Ryan is employed by the team so his opinion may be somewhat biased.
You can listen to the entire interview on KNBR 680.