Jed York invokes memory of his Super Bowl-winning uncle

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Niners CEO Jed York wants to follow in the sizable footsteps of Eddie DeBartolo Jr., but York recently has learned he can’t adopt some of his combustible uncle’s personality traits that flew under the radar 30 years ago.

For example, York’s this-performance-wasn’t-acceptable tweet to fans immediately after a blowout loss to Seattle in November 2014? Yes, classic rant-now-and-think-later Eddie D., who didn’t have Twitter at his disposal when he was the 49ers’ owner.

“I’m emotional,” York said. “I learned that from my uncle. Both of us put holes in walls. … I can’t be a distraction to this team. The world is so much different today than I think when my uncle ran the team.”

It can be argued that York stood before a media throng Monday, contrite and humbled, because he allowed his emotions to affect his oft-stated goal of winning Super Bowls. Just more than 12 months ago, York parted with head coach Jim Harbaugh and replaced him by promoting defensive line coach Jim Tomsula.

The swap, of course, was an epic disaster. Harbaugh won 49 games, including playoffs, in his four-year tenure, which is three more than the 49ers managed in the eight seasons before his arrival. Tomsula? He was fired Sunday night after a 5-11 season, prompting York’s news conference about 15 hours later.

DeBartolo often threatened to fire his best head coach, Hall of Famer Bill Walsh, but didn’t do it. In this area, York didn’t follow his uncle’s lead.

On Monday, York earned overall favorable reviews by addressing some of his recent missteps directly. However, he was less forthcoming when asked if he regretted what’s widely perceived to be his biggest mistake: Didn’t he wish he’d found a way to keep Harbaugh?

San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York walks off the stage after speaking at Monday’s news conference at Levi’s Stadium. San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York walks off the stage after speaking at Monday’s news conference at Levi’s Stadium. Photo: Lea Suzuki / Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Lea Suzuki / Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Jed York invokes memory of his Super Bowl-winning uncle 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

“Jim Harbaugh is a good football coach,” York said. “His success at Michigan doesn’t surprise me at all. We need to make sure that we look forward to the next head coach.

“In terms of Jimmy T., we took a chance on somebody that we believe strongly in, certainly his character, his leadership ability, what he was able to do. And ultimately, that didn’t work out. And I feel like watching what my uncle did, watching what my grandfather did, you have to learn from mistakes.”

It will be interesting to see if York has, indeed, learned from his mistakes after the 49ers hire their next head coach. During his final season, Harbaugh repeatedly was undermined by leaks to national media outlets, information which was believed to be coming from the front office and, possibly, an unhappy York.

On Sunday, it appeared little had changed. Hours before the 49ers’ regular-season finale, there was a wave of reports stating Tomsula would be fired after the game. York said the 49ers’ lips had been sealed.

“Having things come out of the building and having the leaks like that are harmful to the team, harmful to Jimmy T, somebody that’s been here for a long time, harmful to our players, harmful to our fans,” York said. “That’s not in my best interest. … We have no interest in leaking information out of this building. If I find people that are leaking information, they are not going to be a part of this team.”

York bolstered his battered image Monday, but those were merely words. He now can make the frustrated faithful more sanguine by hiring the right head coach. General manager Trent Baalke will lead the search, but York will be involved. He consulted with DeBartolo early Monday morning and received counsel.

As York noted, DeBartolo wasn’t immune to mistakes. In 1978, for example, he hired head coach Pete McCulley, who was fired after nine games, and replaced him with Fred O’Connor, who coached the remaining seven. Nearly four decades later, Tomsula became the first head coach since McCulley and O’Connor to last one season or less with the 49ers.

DeBartolo rebounded in 1979 by hiring Walsh, who won the first three of the franchise’s five Super Bowl championships. On Monday, York insisted the ability to win titles was his only concern when asked if he needed a head coach who possessed a personality with which he felt comfortable.

“We’re in need of somebody that can win Super Bowls,” he said.

Didn’t he already part with that coach? When asked that end-of-the-news-conference question, York didn’t finish by flashing his fire, but he did show a little spark.

“We haven’t won a Super Bowl since 1994,” he said.

Eric Branch is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: ebranch@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Eric_Branch