The John Lynch Experiment can officially be declared a success.
Well, we could have declared it as such in late January, when Lynch’s San Francisco 49ers won the NFC Championship in convincing fashion, but Wednesday’s news cements it. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported the 49ers have agreed to terms on a multi-year extension that will keep Lynch in charge of the team through 2024.
Lynch was a surprising, if not stunning choice back in January 2017. Having no prior front office experience, the 49ers leapt off the cliff in hiring Lynch, who tabbed Kyle Shanahan as his head coach a month later.
The flight hasn’t exactly been free of turbulence, but 2019’s sprint to a conference title and Super Bowl LIV appearance confirmed San Francisco was wise in thinking outside of the box when it chose the nine-time Pro Bowler.
Lynch’s most significant move came just nine months after he was hired, when he sent a second-round pick to New England for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. From there, the former All-Pro safety has meticulously built the team into a title contender.
Lynch’s assembly of running backs perfectly complemented Kyle Shanahan’s offensive scheme in 2019, producing the league’s No. 2 rushing attack. His willingness to invest in the defensive front produced the league’s second-best defense in terms of yards allowed per game, and key offseason additions – 2018 pick-up Richard Sherman, for example — helped strengthen the back end of a stifling unit.
By the time winter arrived, he and Shanahan’s collaborative efforts had produced a beast that won its way to Miami. They’ll be tasked with maintaining a premier level of talent and expectation in the Bay Area, where fans will hope to see a repeat performance in 2020 with one key difference: Instead of surrendering a lead in the Super Bowl, they’ll want to see the golden-domed men bring the Lombardi Trophy home.