Recently, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero declared he couldn't envision any scenario in which the San Francisco 49ers gave the boot to either general managerJohn Lynch or head coach Kyle Shanahan anytime soon.
After all, the Lynch and Shanahan tandem has been directly responsible for turning the franchise around from a laughingstock into a perennial Super Bowl contender despite not having a Lombardi Trophy to show for it just yet.
True, for those Niners fans who underwent either the Chip Kelly/Jim Tomsula years in the last decade, or even those who endured the bleak pre-Jim Harbaugh years of the 2000s, Shanahan and Lynch are about as close to franchise-saving individuals as can be.
That doesn't mean either is flawless, though.
NBC Sports' Patrick Daugherty recently compiled a power rankings-style list of all 32 teams' general managers (including head coaches who have significant roster say), and it's probably not a shocker to see the Lynch-Shanahan tandem rank in the top 10 (they came in at No. 8 overall).
But the assessment of the pairing, Shanahan in particular, revealed something notably troubling that should at least raise San Francisco's proverbial eyebrows.
NBC Sports declares Kyle Shanahan needs to rethink 49ers roster control
Lynch certainly received a lot of flak for the 49ers' questionable moves during last April's NFL Draft, headlined by reaches on wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling and running back Kaelon Black in Rounds 2 and 3, respectively.
Yet there's no shortage of speculation suggesting Shanahan is the one primarily calling the shots behind the scenes, not just serving as a coach and play designer but someone who has serious fingerprints on the Niners' draft efforts.
Based on his comments about talent evaluation leading up to the draft, there are reasons alone to be concerned.
But Daugherty added another layer that paints a grimmer picture:
How do you separate Kyle Shanahan the coach and game planner from Kyle Shanahan the personnel maverick? Because the disconnect in San Francisco is starting to appear downright Belichick-ian. Yes, Brock Purdy was the literal final pick of the draft, but that came one year after Trey Lance was the No. 3 overall pick. Nick Bosa, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle were all last decade. Shanahan and John Lynch’s recent first-rounders have either been shaky or haven’t existed thanks to the Lance trade. ... He has fared much better when acquiring proven NFL talent like Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams, though even those moves can no longer be described as recent. Shanny and Lynch seemed to sense the need for a draft reset, but the answer was apparently "AI," and disregarding the “consensus” board. The quickest way to make yourself look foolish in the NFL is thinking you are smarter than everyone else. For his part, Shanny really is as a play-caller. In the front office? Let’s just say he needs this offseason to be a positive turning point.
"Belichick-ian" is a rude way to put it, but the former New England Patriots head coach who arguably undermined the greatest dynasty in NFL history with poor roster decisions might point to how bad things could potentially get if Shanahan is truly unabated.
Also mentioned is the need for San Francisco's controversial 2026 draft class to pan out, given how poorly it was received in light of said consensus board.
Or, potentially, another bad draft class might convince the 49ers front office to limit Shanahan's power to a needed extent.
Either way, it's a concern that simply can't be avoided or ignored.
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