John Lynch: 49ers’ commitment to culture has gotten easier over time

When John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan assumed the roster-building responsibilities for the San Francisco 49ers in 2017, the team was still in the process of defining its culture. The new general manager and head coach had a clear vision of what that culture would look like, building a team with players and coaches who execute their roles selflessly.

This meant physical play on both offense and defense, maximum effort, and even thinking outside the box with some position groups.

This commitment to a well-rounded approach is evident in the roles expected of the 49ers' wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs. In addition to their primary duties, all players in these positions must contribute to the blocking effort, whether downfield or in the trenches.

George Kittle, widely regarded as one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL, exemplifies this mentality, as does wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who is known for his downfield blocking.

General manager John Lynch, speaking on the "Pat McAfee Show" on Thursday, discussed the 49ers' strategy for acquiring players, whether through free agency, the draft, or trades, who align with the team's established culture and whether this process has become easier or more challenging over time.

"I think it's easier when you've had that continuity of Kyle and I working together," Lynch said. "... We went to great lengths in terms of defining exactly what we want, in terms of the talent and the spirit. What are the qualities that we want in a Niner? And those things are fluid and they change.

"But we have a saying around here, our wide receiver coach, Leonard Hankerson, and he tells those guys, 'No block, no rock.' So, you want the ball? You best be blocking for your teammates. And you see Christian McCaffrey doing it for Deebo Samuel. Brandon Aiyuk is a tremendous [blocker]. I love the way that guy plays, his spirit."

Lynch also pointed to the example of wide receiver Jauan Jennings' tenacious block of Carrington Valentine in the playoffs, forcing the Green Bay Packers cornerback into the Gatorade coolers on the sideline. This is a prime example of this commitment to physicality.

"That stuff is contagious, and that's what we talked about," Lynch continued. "We want guys that are contagiously competitive. We have a standard. Once that standard set, if you think the guy's made of the right stuff—he may not have been asked to block like that in college. So you have to do some predicting of let's get to know the person. What was he asked to do? Are you willing to do that?

"And so those are the people we try to bring in, like-minded people. And we have a standard in which we play, and the players, it's up to them to uphold that standard. Kyle says often—his roots are as a wide receiver, he played wide receiver in college, he coached wide receiver as the first position—but those guys set the tone for an offense on the physicality of your team.

"And you often think that's the offensive line. But I've come to really believe that when the receivers are out there blocking, it raises [the bar for] everybody on the field."

Lynch acknowledged the historical precedent within the organization for players going above and beyond, dating back to the Bill Walsh era, when receivers like Jerry Rice and John Taylor were held to the same high standards.

"Bill Walsh used to always talk about, 'You're not playing for me if you're not going to block at wide receiver,'" Lynch shared. "And so it's a tradition that is carried on, and it's something we're real proud of. But you've got to recreate it every year. It doesn't just show up. That has to be your standard and that comes from the work we do on the practice field."