For those thinking Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch are on the hot seat amid a frustrating 2024 season, Jed York has something to tell you.
Without pointing fingers, there are those who subscribing to (or are prompting) rumors that head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch could be on the hot seat with the conclusion of the 2024 regular season just around the corner.
The San Francisco 49ers are 6-10, coming off an exciting-but-frustrating Monday Night Football loss to the Detroit Lions, which only reinforced the fact the Niners are far from a playoff-caliber team in contrast to where they were a year ago at this time.
Considering the amount of roster talent at Lynch and Shanahan's disposal, combined with the fact San Francisco made it at least to the NFC Championship game the previous three seasons, one would expect better from the 2024 version. Since Shanahan and Lynch have underdelivered, parting ways with them this offseason seems like a logical possibility.
Especially considering CEO Jed York was part of something similar involving now-Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh way back in 2014.
Except York, who hasn't forgotten the coaching turmoil that followed in Harbaugh's wake before hiring both Lynch and Shanahan in 2017, isn't going to pull the plug on the two simply because of one down year.
Jed York confirms Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch will return in 2025
Just prior to Monday night's game, York spoke with Bay Area sports insider Tim Kawakami, now of SF Standard, about Lynch and Shanahan's futures.
Kawakami described his interaction with York:
"'They’re not going anywhere,' York said.
I asked: So I can write that you said this?
'You can write that, for sure,' York said. 'They’re not going anywhere.'"
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In addition, Kawakami pointed out how York felt the two remain "the best leaders" for San Francisco heading into the new year, and the greater body of work speaks measures about how Lynch and Shanahan have steadily built a championship-caliber team.
Also, York feels the 49ers will be back in the thick of things a year from now, too.