Enquirer news services

KIRKLAND, Wash. - While talk of San Francisco's interest in Seattle coach and former 49ers assistant Mike Holmgren might be true, it's also premature.

A source close to the situation said it would be too difficult for the 49ers to get Holmgren out of his Seahawks contract so he could replace Steve Mariucci, who was fired Wednesday by the 49ers.

Still, it didn't stop reports and rumors from swirling. Sources said the 49ers were actively pursuing Holmgren, who has four years left on the deal he signed with the Seahawks in 1999.

"Any time anything happens in San Francisco, Mike Holmgren's name comes up," Bob LaMonte, Holmgren's agent, said. "But to my knowledge, there is nothing to corroborate that."

A Seahawks spokesman declined to comment, and Holmgren was unavailable.

Holmgren has said he wants to stay in Seattle. He backed those words by relinquishing his general manager duties and firing four of his defensive coaches two days after the Seahawks had completed their 7-9 season.

Asked at the time if he would take a job elsewhere at some point, he said: "No. Please write this down. ... I don't want to go anywhere. I think I've said it before, but I'll say it again, I pray that this is my last coaching job."

While the Seattle area is his newest adopted home -- after a seven-year stint as coach of the Green Bay Packers -- San Francisco is home.

Holmgren grew up in San Francisco. He was a quarterback at Lincoln High School and was named the city's high school athlete of the year in 1965. He began his coaching career at Lincoln in 1971, before moving to Sacred Heart (1972-74) and Oak Grove (1975-80) high schools. He began his NFL coaching career as the 49ers quarterbacks coach in 1986 and was promoted to offensive coordinator in 1989. He still owns a home near Santa Cruz.

For many, that's where the 49ers' purported interest and Holmgren's stated intention to remain in Seattle collide.

A more likely scenario would have the 49ers promoting quarterbacks coach Ted Tollner to replace Mariucci and then making a run at Holmgren next year if the Seahawks fail to show the expected improvement in 2003.

But as Mariucci's firing showed, just about anything could happen because of too many 49ers "bosses" -- from owner's representative John York to general manager Terry Donahue to consultant Bill Walsh.

"I thought it was best to have a coach who was fully committed to coaching," York said at the news conference to announce that Mariucci had been fired. "There's enough noise around here, with Steve vs. Bill and Steve vs. Terry. Now it's, 'Do we love Steve?' There is just too much noise. You can't have this stuff and move this team along."

York's assessment was predicated on the contention that Mariucci had asked for more authority if he stayed, an issue his agent has denied.

Tollner is Donahue's preferred candidate, sources say. Walsh is pushing for former Minnesota Vikings head coach and 49ers assistant Dennis Green. But it is York who will make the hire.

The only certainty seems to be that Holmgren will be coaching in Seattle this year, and not San Francisco.

"Mike wasn't given a two- or three-year contract to turn things around immediately," LaMonte said. "He was given an eight-year contract to build a team that will be competitive year after year after year. That's a different mandate. It takes a little more time and a lot more work."

Return to Bengals front page...