SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - The San Francisco 49ers interviewed Seattle offensive line coach and former Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable for their head coaching vacancy on Sunday.
Team CEO Jed York met with Cable as part of his search for replacements for fired coach Chip Kelly and general manager Trent Baalke following a 2-14 season that tied the worst mark in franchise history.
Cable coached a line that has struggled this season in Seattle, but has helped the Seahawks develop a strong running game his first five seasons with the Seahawks. Seattle was knocked out of the playoffs Saturday with a 36-20 loss to Atlanta.
Cable has head coaching experience, having taken over as interim coach after Lane Kiffin was fired four games into the 2008 season in Oakland.
Cable kept the job after that and finished with a 17-27 record in two-plus seasons. He was fired after 2010, despite leading the Raiders to an 8-8 record that was their best in eight years.
Cable does come with baggage. In Oakland, Cable was accused of punching assistant coach Randy Hanson and breaking his jaw during an argument in 2009. No criminal charges were filed and a civil case was eventually settled in arbitration.
He was also accused of domestic violence by an ex-wife and ex-girlfriend, but was not arrested or charged in those cases. Cable did acknowledge to striking his first wife with an open hand.
The 49ers have the only coach opening left in the NFL after the other five vacancies have all been filled.
Three coaches who interviewed with York have already taken jobs elsewhere with Washington offensive coordinator Sean McVay getting hired by the Los Angeles Rams, Carolina defensive coordinator Sean McDermott getting the job in Buffalo and Bills interim coach Anthony Lynn taking over the Chargers.
Vance Joseph was hired in Denver before he could interview with San Francisco.
The only other candidates remaining besides Cable are New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Atlanta offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. McDaniels and Shanahan can’t be hired by San Francisco until their seasons end.
The Patriots and Falcons are in the conference title games this week.
York said he was open to hiring either the coach or general manager first. He said the primary goal in the search is finding a coach and general manager who can work well together.
He has already interviewed seven candidates for general manager: Arizona vice president of player personnel Terry McDonough, ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, Carolina assistant GM Brandon Beane on Monday, Indianapolis vice president of football operations Jimmy Raye III, Minnesota assistant GM George Paton, Green Bay director of football operations Eliot Wolf and Packers director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst.
York is also expected to interview Seattle co-directors of player personnel Scott Fitterer and Trent Kirchner this week.
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