49ers news: John Lynch signs extension, will stay with Kyle Shanahan

The 49ers took a chance on general manager John Lynch in 2017, and now he’s being rewarded with a new extension for the foreseeable future.

Yes, it was something of a shock when the San Francisco 49ers elected to go with two first-time personalities at their new-found positions, head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch, early in 2017. Shanahan had never been higher than an offensive coordinator, while Lynch was a Fox color analyst during game days and never held a front-office position.

Three seasons later, the Niners’ gamble appears to have paid off. The team is fresh off a Super Bowl appearance, albeit a loss, yet is pegged for continuing success as a contender for the long run.

Thanks largely to both Shanahan and Lynch.

Earlier this offseason, San Francisco ensured it would keep its head coach around for a while, signing him to a new deal that would keep him with the franchise through the 2025 season.

Naturally, that prompted questions whether or not the 49ers would subsequently extend Lynch. Perhaps they were concerned Shanahan, not Lynch, was the primary reason behind the team’s recent success after years of sub-.500 results.

Perhaps those arguments had merit, although the Niners apparently didn’t think so. On Wednesday, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported San Francisco was then extending Lynch, too, keeping him around through 2024 and one year shy of Shanahan’s current contract ending:

What 49ers have with John Lynch, Kyle Shanahan is positive

It’s not hard for Niners fans to recall the days where negative tension existed between a former head coach and former general manager.

Those San Francisco teams of the early 2010s featured some personalities, yes, namely former head coach Jim Harbaugh and then-GM Trent Baalke. Harbaugh was wild and all over the place, whereas Shanahan is much cooler-headed and to the point. Baalke, meanwhile, preferred to act behind the scenes and not out in front of the media.

Lynch, stemming from his TV days, is the polar opposite of what Baalke was.

Yet the ultimate results on the field are what matter, not just the personalities. Although one could argue both Shanahan and Lynch are getting the most out of their players and commanding respect in the process, too.

Most importantly, it seems as if CEO Jed York took notice and wants to keep the relationship going for as long as he can.