49ers CEO Jed York wants coach who 'can win Super Bowls'

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KGO) -- The San Francisco 49ers are on the hunt for a new coach. CEO Jed York admitted Monday that he was humbled after a 5-11 season that forced the firing of first-year coach Jim Tomsula. York says he's now looking for a head coach who, as he says, can win Super Bowls.

"We're in need of somebody who can win Super Bowls, period. We haven't won a Super Bowl since 1994," York said. "We have a clear understanding of what we want. We want a leader, we want someone who has a clear vision."

York says he's received a lot of criticism from fans and he understands why.

"This season was frustrating on a number of levels," he said. "We took a step back from our ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl. For that, I want to apologize to our fans and everyone else who cares deeply about this team the way I do."

He also admitted he doesn't have all the answers.

"You have to learn from mistakes, you have to learn from failures, and we didn't get this one right," he said. "And we need to make sure we get the next one right."

General Manager Trent Baalke will remain with the organization and he is now on the clock.

"Trent understands that I'm not satisfied with the current state of this team. Trent's role is to find the next head coach and continue to build this roster and get us back to championship form," York said in his first public remarks to the media this season. "Trent has the skills to do this and get this done. He's built championship rosters in the past. He's got respect from folks around the league and his peers."

READ MORE: Chip Kelly has interest in 49ers head coaching job, source says

Tomsula is owed $10.5 million for the remaining three years on the deal he signed last January, and York said the team would "eat" that money to pay him whatever he is owed and the difference if he receives an assistant job elsewhere for a lower salary.

Quarterback Colin Kaepernick says he'll miss Tomsula.

"I just thank him for everything," he said. "He's been a good person to me since he's been here. He's been a standup guy with me, someone who's treated me the same from when I first got drafted and wasn't playing to when I was playing."

At Monday's news conference, York addressed rumors that his family is thinking about selling the team.

"My family's owned this team since before I was born and they'll own the team after I'm gone," he said.

The 49ers will now be hiring their third head coach in three years.

Click here for full coverage on the 49ers.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.