SI Cover: What happened to the 49ers?

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- What happened to the 49ers? That's the question on the regional cover of the latest Sports Illustrated magazine. The San Francisco 49ers reached the NFC Championship game three straight years and were five yards away from winning the Super Bowl a couple of years ago, but they're going to be watching this year's playoffs from home.

Beil: "There's a lot going on with the 49ers. It's a foregone conclusion now that head coach Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers are going to part ways and you knew there was trouble when a report leaked out in February that the 49ers were talking with the Cleveland Browns about trading Harbaugh. How much do you think the questions about Harbaugh have distracted this team?"

Shumann: "I don't think there was at all. I think players worry about things they can control, not their head coach. This is a league where it turns over a lot, so you're playing for yourself, your teammates, and of course your head coach because you have loyalty there. But I think when they cut off contract extensions in the off season, it was implied, or maybe even said, that you either win the Super Bowl this year or you're gone. So Jim took that on himself. He didn't put that on his coaching staff, on his team, on his players and that's a lonely existence when you don't have front office support during the entire season."

Beil: "Harbaugh to the Raiders? Harbaugh to the Jets?"

Shumann: "You know, he's going to have a lot of options, but I'll guarantee almost that he's not going to agree to a trade. He's going to get paid his $5 million and he'll pick what team he wants to go to.