San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Tomsula has hosed down speculation Jarryd Hayne was close to getting his punt return job back.
Tomsula was surprised to hear special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey's comments on Wednesday that returner Bruce Ellington was just one fumble away from being sacked.
"I hope he didn't say that," Tomsula told reporters on Thursday.
"I would not want him to have said that.
"I'm sure he didn't say it like that."
Former Parramatta NRL star Hayne, after dropping three punts in six games, was cut from the 49ers and signed to their practice squad in late October.
Ellington, a kick returner and wide receiver, also took over Hayne's punt return role, but he has dropped balls the past two games and McGaughey on Wednesday put Ellington on notice.
To illustrate his point, McGaughey pointed to the way the New England Patriots sacked their punt returner Chris Harper after he dropped a ball on Sunday.
"You put the ball on the ground again, yeah, that's just a reality of what we do," McGaughey told reporters on Wednesday.
Tomsula said Ellington needs to correct his catching style.
"We just need to catch the ball the proper way," Tomsula said.
"Get the hands down.
"He's been coached on it.
"Bruce is our punt returner and we need to field the ball with the hands in the proper place."
Ellington will face testing conditions on Sunday when the 49ers play the Chicago Bears at Chicago's Soldier Field, with eight degree Celsius temperatures and gusty winds.
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