49ers stand last in NFL head coach musical chairs

Despite conducting several interviews this week, the 49ers apparently still need time to find the best general manager and head coach they can find.

The 49ers started their week with a wave of interviews, evaluating Redskins offensive coordinator Sean McVay for head coach and Panthers assistant general manager Brandon Beane for general manager.

The Rams finished 4-12 in what was supposed to be their unbeatable season upon moving back to Los Angeles, but they made history in an astonishing way Thursday by hiring 30-year-old McVay, who became the youngest head coach in NFL history.

McVay made a strong impression in his first press conference Friday, but, as we already know, McVay has a lot of work to turn the struggling team around.

There have been no reports on Beane accepting or rejecting a job position. Beane was the sixth candidate to be interviewed by 49ers CEO Jed York.

The 49ers continued their interviews Tuesday by meeting with Panthers defensive coordinator Shawn McDermott for head coach and ESPN analyst Louis Riddick for general manager.

However, McDermott accepted a new job Wednesday, as the Bills’ new head coach. In his press conference Friday, the 42-year-old appeared to be happy with his new coaching job. According to the Bills’ official website, McDermott said “Buffalo was the best job on the market” because of the owners and fan base.

The 49ers were scheduled to interview Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph Thursday for head coach. However, Joseph went off the market, taking a job as the Broncos’ new head coach. With that being said, the 49ers resumed interviews.

The 49ers held a meeting Friday morning with Cardinals vice president of player personnel Terry McDonough for general manager. McDonough got his start as a scouting intern for the 49ers in 1989 — the year they won Super Bowl XXIV over the Broncos.

28 years later, McDonough arrived in Santa Clara, interviewing for a job to build the 49ers into a balanced team that can stay healthy and make the playoffs. As vice president of player personnel, McDonough supervises both the college and professional departments and assists with contract negotiations. McDonough is familiar name in sports; his father was late Boston Globe sports writer Will McDonough.

The 49ers are expected to interview at least three candidates next week. The 49ers will meet with Seahawks assistant head coach Tom Cable on Sunday and Seahawks co-directors of player personnel Scott Fitterer and Trent Kirchner on Monday.

The last thing the 49ers want to do is to dominate the headlines with bad news heading into a fresh season. The 49ers have plenty of roster needs to fill.  I can’t predict the results of all these interviews, but I believe the top two choices are McDonough for general manager and Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan for head coach.

McDonough has a knack for evaluating talent. He has good people skills, and most of all, can set his ego aside when it comes to doing what’s best.

Shanahan is an offensive mind who can quickly rebuild the offensive line. The 49ers’ focus should be on defense, but a rebuild of the offensive line is just as important. Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is well-liked choice, but Shanahan wants to make a comeback because the Broncos’ offense couldn’t do anything right last season.

The 49ers need the right leadership, not the most popular names.