If you're a 49ers fan, the news out of Los Angeles this week might’ve hit a little differently. Greg Roman, longtime offensive coordinator and a familiar name in San Francisco circles, has officially been relieved of his duties by the Chargers. And while this is happening down in Southern California, it’s hard not to feel the ripple effects up the coast in the Bay Area.
Why? Because the man making that call is Jim Harbaugh - the same Jim Harbaugh who once helped resurrect a struggling 49ers franchise and brought them to the brink of a championship. Roman was his right-hand man back then, calling plays and crafting game plans that took the Niners from offensive futility to respectability, and at times, something more.
Let’s rewind to 2011. Harbaugh’s first year in San Francisco was a revelation.
After the chaos of the Mike Singletary era - a revolving door of offensive coordinators and a system that never found its footing - the pairing of Harbaugh and Roman brought structure, identity, and, most importantly, results. Roman’s offense wasn’t flashy, but it was functional.
And after years of dysfunction, that alone felt like a breakthrough.
Players seemed to buy in. Roman earned nicknames like “evil genius” and “mad scientist,” nods to his creativity and willingness to adapt.
And adapt he did. When Colin Kaepernick took over for Alex Smith midway through the 2012 season, Roman didn’t just tweak the offense - he retooled it on the fly.
He built around Kaepernick’s strengths, installing the pistol formation and leaning into the read-option, a nod to the quarterback’s college roots.
For a while, it worked. Kaepernick looked electric.
Defenses were on their heels. The 49ers offense had juice, and it carried them all the way to the Super Bowl.
But the cracks were there - and they widened as the stakes got higher.
That Super Bowl loss to the Ravens in the 2012 season still stings. The final four offensive plays - including the infamous fade attempt to Michael Crabtree - remain a sore spot.
And while the power outage gets plenty of airtime in the lore of that game, it’s the stalled red zone series that fans remember most. Roman’s playcalling came under fire, and the criticism didn’t stop there.
Even as Harbaugh continued to back his coordinator, the fan base grew restless. And it wasn’t just fans.
Roman’s approval rating took a hit from inside the building too - most memorably when then-GM Trent Baalke’s daughter took to social media to vent after a Thanksgiving loss to Seattle. That moment became symbolic of the growing tension around Roman’s role in the 49ers’ offensive struggles.
Was Roman the reason the Harbaugh era ended in a “mutual parting of ways”? That’s been debated for years.
There were whispers about a coaching staff ready to move on from Kaepernick, whispers about internal politics, and plenty of finger-pointing. But nothing ever came out definitively.
What’s clear is that Roman’s star was fading by the time Harbaugh left. Whether that was due to schematic limitations, quarterback regression, or simply time running out on a once-promising partnership - that’s still up for interpretation.
And for those keeping track, this isn’t Roman’s first exit under scrutiny. He’s been the fall guy before.
In Buffalo, he was let go midseason even after his offense put up 31 points. In Baltimore, he resigned after a playoff loss.
The pattern is familiar: early promise, creative wrinkles, then eventual stagnation and a parting of ways.
Now, it’s happened again - this time under the coach who once defended him more than anyone.
Harbaugh’s decision to move on from Roman in Los Angeles marks a notable shift. Back in San Francisco, he stood by his OC even as the offense sputtered and the noise grew louder.
But this time, the leash was shorter. Whether that’s a reflection of lessons learned, a new set of expectations, or simply a different situation, it’s hard not to wonder: what if Harbaugh had made this call in 2012?
Would it have changed the trajectory of the 49ers? Maybe.
Maybe not. One of the consistent issues during that era wasn’t just playcalling - it was game management.
Harbaugh often made the final calls in crunch time, and it’s doubtful that would’ve changed with a new OC.
Still, for 49ers fans who spent years calling for Roman’s exit - and who watched the offense stall out in key moments - this moment might feel like a long-delayed bit of closure. Harbaugh’s guy, the architect of some of the most polarizing game plans in recent team history, has finally been shown the door.
It didn’t happen in San Francisco. But it happened.