The San Francisco 49ers’ disappointing season hit its worst low on Sunday: its 17-7 loss against its NFC West nemesis the Seattle Seahawks officially extinguished the team’s playoff hopes. 49ers Head coach Jim Harbaugh, who has long been on the proverbial hot seat following a string of underwhelming performances from the team, will remain the team’s coach throughout the conclusion of the regular season.

“When the season ends, decisions are going to be made,” said San Francisco general manager Trent Baalke on the Damon Bruce Show at 95.7 The Game. Baalke and Harbaugh have had a contentious relationship during Harbaugh’s tenure as head coach, yet their disagreements have not detracted from the team’s success. The 49ers have gone a remarkable 43-18 in Harbaugh’s nearly four years on the job. Harbaugh has led the 49ers to not only three straight playoff berths, but also three consecutive NFC Championship games, including a Super Bowl appearance in his second year.

During this past offseason, reports surfaced that the Cleveland Browns had been very close in nearly acquiring Jim Harbaugh via a trade. This was very surprising to many outsiders, especially considering the fantastic imprint Harbaugh had quickly made on the team. Before Harbaugh became the team’s head coach in 2011, the team had not made the playoffs – or posted a winning record, for that matter – since 2002.

But despite his team’s success, Harbaugh’s prickly, intense personality and demeanor have made him replaceable. He and Baalke have had more than their share of clashes, and although there is always dissension between a team’s general manager and a head coach, their rifts seem to stem from outright dislike of each other rather than disagreement.

Harbaugh has also been linked as a possible candidate to replace Brady Hoke at the University of Michigan. Harbaugh is a Michigan alumnus, so he obviously might be tempted to return to Ann Arbor. Furthermore, he made a name for himself as a college coach, especially at the University of Stanford, where he transformed a moribund football school into a powerhouse program. He also helped a then-unknown quarterback by the name of Andrew Luck develop into a no. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft. Therefore, it is not inconceivable to imagine Harbaugh being drawn back to the college ranks to turn around his alma mater’s faltering program.

Another reason he might welcome the return to college football is having total control. Harbaugh is known for being a control-freak, whose hyper-competitiveness and intensity can be both inspiring and grating. His abrasive, intense nature quickly wears on athletes making millions of dollars, as well as NFL front office executives who think that they know best. But Harbaugh could ask for – and be given – complete autonomy at his next job.

It appears that Jim Harbaugh is not going to leave San Francisco just yet. But his exit strategy – as well as the 49ers’ exit plan for him – might already be in the works. There are only two more games for the San Francisco 49ers this season. Soon after, the dominoes will begin to fall.