When it came to John Lynch news this week, most were focused on whether or not the nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champion for the Buccaneers would be getting into the Hall of Fame or not.
That anticipation, however, is going to take a backseat for at least a few days as it has been reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Lynch will be named the San Francisco 49ers new general manager.
SF is hiring Hall-of-Fame candidate and FOX analyst John Lynch as GM, sources tell ESPN. Lynch back to Bay Area, where he went to Stanford.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 30, 2017
It was also reported that Lynch will be signing a six-year deal, an unprecedented move for a first time GM.
The return to the Bay Area is a bit of a homecoming for Lynch, who went to school at Stanford.
How about this: The idea to make Lynch the GM was, well, Lynch's idea. He personally called predicted HC Kyle Shanahan about becoming his GM
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) January 30, 2017
The thought of Lynch becoming the Niners new GM came organically, as Lynch volunteered himself for the job by personally calling the front-runner for San Francisco’s head coaching vacancy, Falcons offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan, and explaining to him the two would be a great fit. According to Schefter’s report, the more Shanahan thought about it, the more he liked the idea.
Lynch was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He spent ten years in Tampa where he and his teammates was crowned Super Bowl Champions in 2003 after defeating the Raiders in San Diego.
Lynch retired in 2008. Six days after his retirement from football, he was hired as a broadcaster by FOX. Lynch has been a broadcaster ever since.
This will be Lynch’s first job in an NFL front office.