49ers To Hire Adam Peters As VP Of Player Personnel
New 49ers GM John Lynch was said to be eyeing Adam Peters as his top assistant. Today, he got his man. Peters, who spent the previous eight seasons in the Broncos’ scouting department, agreed to sign on as the 49ers’ vice president of player personnel, a source told CSNBayArea.com’s Matt Maiocco.
Peters just completed his first season as the Broncos’ director of college scouting and he has previous experience as a regional scout, national scout, and assistant director of college scouting. Before joining Denver, Peters served as a scout for the Patriots. Peters comes with a strong track record as well as personnel experience, both of which Lynch lacks.
The Niners were also looking at former Bucs GM Mark Dominik as an option, but that’s likely not happening now that Peters has been hired. Assistant GM Tom Gamble, meanwhile, appears to be staying with the team.
Mike Shanahan Won't Join 49ers' Front Office
- Rookie general manager John Lynch declared Monday he’ll “aggressively pursue” people he has relationships with to join him in the 49ers’ front office (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com). That won’t include rumored candidate and longtime NFL head coach Mike Shanahan, whom Lynch played for in Denver from 2004-07 and who’s the father of soon-to-be 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. Lynch expects to listen to the elder Shanahan’s advice, but he’s not going to take an official role with the 49ers, tweets Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports.
- Contrary to a report from last week, the Eagles and personnel executive Rick Mueller have not yet parted ways. Mueller is working from home and will join the Eagles at next month’s scouting combine, though his contract is up in May, per Geoff Mosher of 97.5 The Fanatic (Twitter link).
Lynch, McDonough On 49ers’ GM Job
The 49ers’ Sunday decision to pluck all-time great NFL safety John Lynch from the broadcasting booth and hire him as their general manager elicited stunned responses from those who follow football. It turns out not even Lynch expected to land the job.
“Two weeks ago I never thought I’d be doing this,” he told reporters, including Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com, on Monday (Twitter link).
Lynch didn’t even conduct an interview with the 49ers, who reached out to 11 other candidates after firing ex-GM Trent Baalke at the outset of January. But Lynch managed to secure a six-year contract to end up in San Francisco, and he revealed that he negotiated his own deal, tweets Cam Inman of the Mercury News. Lynch added that will report solely to CEO Jed York. That means he won’t have to answer to executive vice president of football operations/chief strategy officer Paraag Marathe, whose status as York’s right-hand man caused some issues during the 49ers’ GM search.
In his new position, Lynch’s goal is to emulate the success close friend and fellow Stanford alumnus John Elway has enjoyed as the Broncos’ GM since they hired him in 2011.
“I strive to attack this job in same way he has,” said Lynch, who will interview Broncos director of college scouting Adam Peters to become the 49ers’ player personnel director (Twitter link via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle).
Of course, the main figure Lynch will work with in the Bay Area is soon-to-be head coach and current Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. The 37-year-old recommended Lynch to York, per Jerry McDonald of the Bay Area Newspaper Group (Twitter link), and there’s clearly a mutual respect between the pending GM-head coach tandem.
“I thought he was the catch of this head-coaching cycle,” opined Lynch (via Branch, on Twitter).
Cardinals VP of player personnel Terry McDonough, who was a finalist to become San Francisco’s GM before Lynch swooped in, offered even loftier praise for Shanahan on Monday.
“Sitting there talking to him, Kyle reminded me a lot of coach Belichick when I interviewed with him back in ’92,” McDonough, who then worked as a scout with the Browns, told Maiocco. “Same type of look in their eye. The same type of passion. You just know whatever Kyle Shanahan does, he’s going to be successful in life. If he’s given the time there and they bring in the right players, there’s no doubt in my mind, he’s going to have success.”
McDonough noted that the Lynch- and Shanahan-led 49ers will have their work cut out to improve a two-win roster. However, he believes the organization has the right people in place – including the “very engaging and really intelligent” Marathe.
“That roster right now is very thin,” he said. “I really believe in John Lynch’s intelligence and drive. Their drive matches each other, Kyle and John.”
Continued McDonough: “John Lynch is a guy I actually scouted coming out of college (Stanford). If you’re going to lose a competition to someone, you’d want to lose it to someone like John Lynch. He’s a phenomenal human being. He’s highly, highly intelligent and 100-percent class.”
49ers To Interview Broncos’ Adam Peters
First-time general manager John Lynch isn’t going to break into his new role in San Francisco without some quality help around him. With that in mind, Lynch has targeted current Broncos director of college scouting Adam Peters as a candidate to join the Niners’ front office, per reports from NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (Twitter link) and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
The 49ers will interview Peters to become their director of player personnel, according to Florio, who notes that the Broncos could have blocked the Niners’ request. However, Broncos GM John Elway – Lynch’s fellow Stanford alumnus – opted against doing so as a way to reward Peters for his work with the franchise. Peters has only been serving in his current role for a year, but he has garnered extensive front office experience with both the Broncos and Patriots – two eminently successful franchises.
Even if they hire Peters, the 49ers could still tab Mark Dominik for an executive role, per Florio, who reported earlier Monday that “buzz is building” on the team adding the ex-Buccaneers GM to its front office.
Matt Millen On John Lynch's Hiring
The 49ers’ shocking general manager choice, John Lynch, will face a “steep” learning curve as a front office neophyte, ex-Lions GM Matt Millen told Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. As was the case with Millen, whom Detroit hired in 2001, Lynch is coming from the broadcasting booth to take the helm of a franchise. It didn’t go well for Millen, under whom Detroit went 31-84 before it fired him in 2008. “You need to be schooled,” said Millen. “You need to be mentored. You need to have somebody you can go to. That’s not easy.” Lynch could have a less difficult time breaking into his new job than Millen, notes Branch, who points out that soon-to-be 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is likely to have 53-man roster control. Assistant GM Tom Gamble will also be around to help Lynch make the transition.
More on the NFL’s front offices and coaching staffs:
- Newly minted Colts GM Chris Ballard received a five-year contract, according to Mike Chappell of FOX59. Colts vice president of football operations Jimmy Raye III was among the candidates Ballard beat out for the role, and owner Jim Irsay revealed Raye nearly got the job, per Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. Irsay assured Raye, who will remain in the Colts’ Ballard-led front office, that someone else will give him a shot as a GM if the Colts orchestrate a turnaround (all Twitter links here).
- While Ballard reportedly isn’t committed to going forward with Chuck Pagano beyond the 2017 season, he spoke glowingly of the five-year head coaching veteran Monday. “There were no other options. Chuck Pagano is a great coach,” said Ballard (Twitter link via Holder). Upon Ballard’s hiring, Pagano stated Sunday that he’s “extremely excited” to work with the rookie GM (via the Colts’ Twitter account).
- The Saints have hired Mike Nolan to coach their linebackers, his previous employer, SiriusXM NFL Radio, announced (on Twitter). Nolan coached the Chargers’ linebackers in 2015 and has been a defensive coordinator with seven teams, though he’s best known for an 18-37 run as San Francisco’s head coach from 2005-08.
- Broncos head coach Vance Joseph has added “assistant head coach” to running backs coach Eric Studesville‘s title, tweets Mike Klis of 9News. Studesville drew interest from the Jets earlier this month in their search for an offensive coordinator, but he elected to stay in Denver, where he has coached RBs since 2010.
NFC Notes: 49ers, Lynch, Dominik, Saints
Here’s a quick look at the NFC:
- Before he was hired as the 49ers‘ new GM, John Lynch did not want his involvement in the search to leak out because he was afraid of league-wide perception, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com tweets. Had he not been hired, he was worried others would feel he was using his TV gig to land a job with an NFL team. Of course, some in the football world could still be of that opinion. As an ex-player and color commentator with no known ambitions of an executive job, Lynch may have had special access to information on rival teams and players.
- As of this afternoon, the 49ers have not scheduled an interview with ESPN analyst/ex-Bucs GM Mark Dominik, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter). That doesn’t mean Dominik won’t be a consideration, but it may at least mean that a deal is probably not imminent between the two sides. By the same token, the Niners managed to keep the surprising hire of John Lynch under wraps.
- Saints owner Tom Benson‘s ownership lawsuit is one week away from trial, Katherine Sayre of The Times-Picayune writes. Benson is seeking to remove ownership shares in the Saints (and the NBA’s Pelicans) from trust funds created for his daughter and grandson from back when the family was still on good terms. Ultimately, the trial will not impact control over the teams. Benson maintains control by impact control over the teams.
49ers Moving Toward Mark Dominik Hire?
New 49ers GM John Lynch reportedly seeks an experienced personnel man to work with him in the San Francisco front office, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes “buzz is building” about Mark Dominik joining Lynch soon. Multiple sources told Florio that Dominik would step into a director of player personnel-type role.
Florio pointed out Lynch had already picked out who he wanted to hire in this capacity, and the 49ers considered Dominik for their GM post. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported last week rumblings at the Senior Bowl featured the prospect of Dominik joining the 49ers “in some capacity.” The 49ers, though, did not interview the former Buccaneers GM for the job.
The 45-year-old Dominik served as a scouting director for the Bucs during seven years of Lynch’s tenure in Tampa Bay. It’s believed Dominik and the 45-year-old Lynch have a good relationship, and that Lynch’s rapport with expected head coach Kyle Shanahan clearly played a key role in that unorthodox hire. While Lynch has a good relationship with Kyle Shanahan, playing under Kyle’s father Mike Shanahan for four years in Denver, Kyle Shanahan also worked as an offensive quality control coach with the Bucs for two years during Dominik’s stay.
Assistant GM Tom Gamble could remain in place, per Florio, even if the 49ers move to hire Dominik. We heard earlier today the 49ers were planning to give Gamble a chance to prove he could stay with the team, with the time between now and the draft serving as an audition of sorts. The five-year Bucs GM currently works as an analyst at ESPN. He’s only worked for one NFL franchise, serving in various capacities with the Bucs from 1994-2013. The 49ers’ power structure would consist of two members who have spent much of the past several years on television should they make this move, with Lynch being a Fox analyst since his retirement in 2008.
49ers To Give Tom Gamble Chance To Stay
Jed York can’t officially hire Kyle Shanahan until after Super Bowl LI, but he didn’t make a secret out of who the 49ers‘ next head coach will be. The point man on the 49ers’ GM and HC hiring processes, York referenced Shanahan as his coach in an interview with TheMMQB.com’s Peter King.
King reports York met with Lynch in both San Francisco and Atlanta last week, with Shanahan also meeting with Lynch in Atlanta, both before scheduled summits with GM finalists George Paton and Terry McDonough. San Francisco will give six-year contracts to both Lynch and Shanahan after York made the most stunning hire of the year on Sunday night.
Here’s more out of the 49ers’ hire, along with some other news out west.
- Assistant GM Tom Gamble will be given a chance to prove he should remain with the 49ers, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com tweets. Gamble ascended to his current position last summer. Part of the fallout from last night’s stunning Lynch announcement was the new GM already had an experienced personnel mind for his top lieutenant. Gamble, who’s enjoyed two stints with the 49ers, will have an audition period through the draft, per Maiocco. Gamble worked with Chip Kelly in both Philadelphia and San Francisco as well, but the Eagles fired him after the 2014 season.
Shanahan's Deal Longer Than Harbaugh's
Before the mystery candidate for the 49ers’ GM job became revealed as off-the-board hire John Lynch, fellow TV analyst Mark Dominik received consideration for the GM job, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports (on Twitter). However, the sides never scheduled an interview. But Lynch getting the job doesn’t necessarily mean a path from ESPN to the 49ers isn’t on the table for Dominik.
Here’s more from the 49ers’ surprising hire, along with the latest from some other NFL teams as the Pro Bowl continues.
- The six-year contract that’s expected to be offered to Kyle Shanahan is two years longer than the deals for both Jim Tomsula and Chip Kelly, and one year longer than Jim Harbaugh, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com notes.
49ers Hire John Lynch As General Manager
The 49ers’ general manager search will end in an unexpected place. The franchise is expected to hire Fox analyst and former Pro Bowl safety John Lynch as its GM, Jay Glazer of FoxSports.com tweets. The 49ers confirmed the hire.
The organization will give Lynch a rare six-year contract to try and turn this franchise around, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Lynch met with Kyle Shanahan this week over lunch, and the 49ers offered him the position, Glazer reports (TwitLonger link), adding the goal appears to be an attitude change in the organization.
Schefter reports Lynch accepted the job today after spending time with 49ers brass this week. Lynch spent Thursday and Friday with San Francisco personnel, Schefter reports, a day before the known finalists for this position — Vikings assistant GM George Paton and Cardinals VP of player personnel Terry McDonough — completed their second interviews in Atlanta.
This idea initially came from Lynch, who called Shanahan to volunteer for the job last week, per Schefter, who adds the prospect then grew on the next 49ers head coach. The former safety plans to hire a personnel man as his top lieutenant and has already identified that executive, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk tweets.
Schefter confirms (via Twitter) Shanahan will receive a six-year contract as well for the purposes of the franchise tying together its GM and HC choices. This six-year deal isn’t designed specifically for Lynch, with Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com reporting (on Twitter) the 49ers designed a six-year contract for Josh McDaniels to negate the aura of instability around the organization.
Lynch having no front-office experience could be a sign Shanahan would assume more control over personnel decisions, but the Falcons OC is not believed to have requested control over the 53-man roster. Lynch played his final four years for the Mike Shanahan-era Broncos, so the expected power duo in San Francisco has a history, to some degree. Lynch’s relationship with Mike Shanahan could point to a role in San Francisco for the former coach. A place for the elder Shanahan with the 49ers emerged as a possibility earlier this week, although Lynch’s involvement obviously wasn’t believed to be part of the equation.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (on Twitter) Lynch wouldn’t go through with making this career change unless the franchise’s pursuit of him was kept secret. As Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News points out (Twitter link), Lynch had a connection with Bill Walsh as well, playing for the iconic former 49ers coach at Stanford in 1992. Lynch’s leadership and communication skills “wowed” Jed York, Inman notes.
Lynch did not have a formal interview for the position and does not have any experience as a coach or GM. The former Buccaneers and Broncos defender became an NFL analyst after he retired before the 2008 season. Lynch is a Hall of Fame finalist and will edge out the official 49ers GM finalists, who appear to be staying with the Cardinals and Vikings, respectively.
Lynch spent his college years in the Bay Area at Stanford before playing 15 years in the NFL, becoming a two-time first-team All-Pro and a nine-time Pro Bowler. His hire will certainly send shockwaves throughout the league. It’s not completely unlike the Broncos bringing in John Elway in 2011. Elway did not have any previous NFL coaching or front-office experience but did work as an exec in the Arena Football League. Of course, this move also is somewhat similar to Matt Millen‘s Lions hire, with the former linebacker previously working as a Fox analyst.