Dennis Erickson Head Coach Tenure
Two seasons, salary-cap trouble, and a 2-14 finish.
Dennis Erickson coached the San Francisco 49ers in 2003 and 2004. A coach who had won two national championships at the University of Miami and had led the Seattle Seahawks from 1995 to 1998, he joined the 49ers in February 2003 on a five-year contract worth $2.5 million a year.
Quick Facts
- Tenure
- 2003-2004
- Final season
- 2-14
Lore & Background
The 49ers had serious salary-cap problems at the time, and their roster was built mostly of players suited to the West Coast offense run by his predecessor, Steve Mariucci.
Reader's Guide
The 49ers kept paying out his contract after he returned to college football: nearly $2.3 million for its fourth year while he coached Idaho, and another $2 million for the last year during his first season at Arizona State.
Erickson lasted only two seasons. After a 2-14 record in 2004 he was fired along with general manager Terry Donahue.
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