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San Francisco 49ers hire John Lynch as next GM

The San Francisco 49ers announced the hiring of former nine-time Pro Bowl safety John Lynch as the 11th general manager in franchise history on Monday.

Lynch, 45, is a four-time Hall of Fame finalist, including for the Class of 2017. He played college football at Stanford before enjoying a 15-year NFL career with the Buccaneers and Denver Broncos, serving as a captain of Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl XXXVII championship team.

He spent the past eight years as a color analyst for Fox Sports’ football coverage.

San Francisco did not release the terms of Lynch’s deal, but his contract will reportedly span six seasons.

“During his 15 seasons as an NFL player, John epitomized what is so special about the game of football,” 49ers CEO Jed York said in a statement. “A world-class competitor, his love and respect for the sport are unmatched, and you would be hard-pressed to find anyone in league circles who does not have great respect for his work ethic and passion.

“Having already helped lead a team to a Super Bowl title as a player, John is equipped with tremendous insight into what it takes to create a culture that breeds sustained success.”

Lynch replaces Trent Baalke, who was fired along with coach Chip Kelly on Jan. 1 after serving as the team’s general manager since 2006. Kelly went 2-14 in his lone season with San Francisco.

The 49ers have not yet hired a replacement for Kelly, but will reportedly offer a six-year contract to Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan after Super Bowl LI.

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