Latest News Update About Jimmy Raye :The San Francisco 49ers have fired much criticized offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye, according to a NFL.com report citing “a league source.” The move comes a day after the Niners fell to 0-3 after suffering their second embarrassing blowout road loss in three weeks. Niners quarterbacks coach Mike Johnson has been promoted to replace Raye as offensive coordinator.
Johnson becomes San Francisco’s eighth offensive coordinator in eight seasons. Johnson joined the 49ers last February, at the same time 49ers head coach Mike Singletary hired Jimmy Raye to replace Mike Martz. Johnson had previously coached quarterbacks and wide receivers for the Chargers, Falcons and Ravens. In 2003, interim head coach Wade Phillips let Johnson call plays for the final two games.
A year ago under Raye, the 49ers offense average 20.6 points per game, ranking them 18th out of 32 teams. Through three games this year, the team’s averaging just 12.7 points per game, ranking 31st. They’d actually be dead last if quarterback Alex Smith hadn’t thrown a meaningless touchdown pass on the final play of yesterday’s 31-10 loss.
While the 49ers have been pretty terrible, Raye may in part be the victim of unrealistic expectations. After going 8-8 last year, the 49ers were favored to win the NFC West this season, but mainly because the best team in their terrible division lost veteran quarterback Kurt Warner to retirement and dancing with the stars. The San Diego Chargers, favorites to win the AFC West and a team that’s actually made the playoffs this decade, have also lost on the road to the Chiefs and Seahawks, just like the 49ers. But the Chargers only lost their games by a touchdown, as opposed to three or four scores like the 49ers.
Raye had previously been an offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams (1983-84, 1991), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1985-86), New England Patriots (1990), Kansas City Chiefs (1998-2000), Washington Redskins (2001) and Oakland Raiders (2004-05). I’d be kind of surprised if he gets another chance anywhere.
Raye was in his second season with the 49ers. He has spent more than 30 years in coaching, including a previous stint with San Francisco as wide receivers coach in 1977.
Raye and coach Mike Singletary often disagreed on how to get the offense rolling. Quarterback Alex Smith has been inconsistent, as have the receivers, with only running back Frank Gore a steady contributor.
After the 49ers’ 31-6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the opener, Raye took the blame for the team’s problems on offense.
“I bear all the responsibility for the way we operate on offense,” Raye said then. “I’m the leader. It’s my watch.”
The Niners’ shake-up extended to the locker room Monday. According to a league source, the team benched two veterans on defense — Michael Lewis and Takeo Spikes.
Singletary is trying a drastic change there but the timing of the moves is difficult this late in the game and he runs the risk of losing the locker room as well.
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