subject: San Francisco 49ers Tickets : Willis Was Named The 2007 Ap Nfl Defensive Rookie Of The Year [print this page] Before the beginning of the 2007 season, former coach and Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh died of complications from leukemia. In the off-season, cornerback Nate Clements was signed as a free agent from the Buffalo Bills. Clement's contract was worth $80 million for 8 years, the largest contract given to a defensive player in NFL history at the time. In the NFL Draft that year, the 49ers made another key addition to their defense, selecting middle linebacker Patrick Willis with the 11th overall pick. Willis was named the 2007 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
The 49ers started that season 2/0, winning their first two games against the Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams. This marked the first time the 49ers started 2/0 since 1998. In the fourth game of the season, against the Seattle Seahawks, QB Alex Smith suffered a separated shoulder on the third play of the game, an injury that would severely hamper his play and ultimately lead to an early end to his 2008 campaign after having shoulder surgery.
Chiefly due to QB Trent Dilfer's struggles and Alex Smith's injury, the 49ers lost 8 straight consecutive games from week 3 through week 12, ending the year with a disappointing 5/11 record.Questions were raised about the future of Alex Smith, whose first three seasons had been plagued by inconsistent play, injuries, and not having had an offensive coordinator remain on the team for consecutive years.
Head coach Mike Nolan and new Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz stated that a competition between Smith, Shaun Hill, and NFL journyman J. T. O'Sullivan would run through the first two preseason games of 2008, with the hope of naming a starter soon after. O'Sullivan was named the 49ers starter because of his familiarity with the Martz offense and after performing better than Smith or Hill in the first three preseason games. On the night of October 20, 2008, after struggling through the beginning of the season, Mike Nolan was fired.
Assistant head coach Mike Singletary, a Hall of Fame linebacker with the Chicago Bears, was named as the interim head coach. Singletary proved to be a fan favorite when after his first game as head coach he delivered a memorable post game interview. Singletary said of their loss: "... right now, we've got to figure out the formula. Our formula. Our formula is this: We go out, we hit people in the mouth.".
The team had won five of its final seven games and went 5/4 overall under Singletary after Nolan's dismissal,They ended the season with a 7-9 record After the last game of the season, Singletary was announced as head coach by Jed York, who had been appointed as team president just days before. Jed York is the oldest son of John York and Denise DeBartolo York .
On April 25, 2009, the 49ers selected Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree with the 10th pick in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. A Player many people thought would go in the top 5. The 2009 training camp was the first time since 2005 that the 49ers failed to have all drafted rookies signed and in training camp on time. Michael Crabtree, reached a contract agreement with the team on October 7, 2009, after having missed the first four games of the regular season.
After an up and down season, featuring many close games, the 49ers posted an 8-8 record, the team's first non-losing season since 2002. Despite missing the playoffs for the seventh straight season, several key players continued to show signs of improvement. Alex Smith regained his role as the 49ers' starting quarterback (after Shaun Hill had won the starting job in training camp), passing for more than 2,000 yards with 18 touchdowns, while Frank Gore collected his fourth consecutive season with 1,000 or more rushing yards, a 49ers record.
Safety Dashon Goldson showed signs of potential in his first year as full-time starter, as he tallied 94 tackles, 4 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, and 2 sacks. Vernon Davis, in particular, had a breakthrough year at tight end, earning Pro Bowl honors with 965 yards and 13 touchdowns (tying the NFL record for his position). 2010 saw five Pro-Bowl Players for the 49ers. Patrick Willis, Vernon Davis, Frank Gore, Justin Smith, and Andy Lee.
Before the 2010 Season, the 49ers became the heavy favorites to win the NFC West. This was because Cardinals QB and future hall of famer Kurt Warner retired early in the offseason. Also, the 49ers had promising young talent and a solid draft: Rutgers offensive tackle Anthony Davis, 11th overall, and Idaho offensive guard Mike Iupati, 17th overall, in the first round. However, the 49ers' 2010 season was a surprising disaster. They started the season with an 0-5 record, their worst start since 1979.
