placeholder image

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports


John Lynch on 49ers’ draft secrecy: “We just wanted to see how far it could go”

Apr 30, 2021 at 11:20 AM--


Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
It was maddening for San Francisco 49ers fans. It was maddening for all NFL fans and even much of the media. Social media has not been a fun place since the team traded up to the No. 3 overall pick on March 26. There was so much rampant speculation surrounding what the 49ers might do, and the team's brass was playing it close to the vest, refusing to offer any hints.

There were reports that even those inside the building, like coaches and some front-office personnel, didn't even know which direction head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch were leaning. Even CEO Jed York joked on Thursday that he had no idea. That, of course, turned out to be a lie as York proceeded to further mess with the fanbase with some cryptic tweets.

"We were in the bunker," Lynch said on Thursday night. "Apparently, there's been some entertaining stuff going on. He writes the check, so tweet away."

Trey Lance of North Dakota State ended up being the selection. Even he didn't know until receiving a call from the 49ers minutes before NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell officially announced the pick.

So what was the deal with all of the secrecy? We know the 49ers don't like to leak information, but this was on another level. Everyone knew who was going No. 1 and No. 2. Why not just offer up some hints rather than allow rampant media speculation to infuriate fans?

"We just wanted to see how far it could go, and we didn't think it would go this far," Lynch told 49ers team reporter Keiana Martin during a one-on-one conversation. "Now, look, ultimately, we've had our eyes on Trey for quite a while. Kyle's better at timelines, I kind of live in the moment, but I know it's been some time."

Lynch and Shanahan did commit to finalizing their decision by Monday. A week ago, on Friday, Lynch told Shanahan who his choice was. It was Lance, the prospect they loved all along.

"I told him who I liked, but I said, 'I'm ready to ride with any of them, and it really comes down to you, Kyle. You're our head coach. You're our offensive play-caller,'" Lynch shared. "And Kyle came down Monday, said, 'You ready to go with Trey Lance?' And I said, 'You're not messing with me, are you?' And it was an awesome feeling. So that kind of finalized it.

"Although, like I said, we've known for some time. And then, I believe Wednesday, we shared it with Jed. Our wives were privy to it, and they did very good at being vaults, like they always are."

Lynch also shared the information with Dr. John York, Jed's father, and the 49ers' co-chairman. It turns out Lance was the elder York's choice all along too. He was excited to hear about the decision.

Lance is in Santa Clara today, having arrived at the 49ers' facilities this morning.



Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News


placeholder image

John Lynch explains 49ers' draft penalty

By David Bonilla
Mar 25

A week ago, the NFL penalized the San Francisco 49ers for payroll accounting errors. As punishment, the team forfeited a 2025 fifth-round draft pick and had its fourth-round pick in next month's draft moved to the end of the round. On Monday, general manager John Lynch addressed reporters at the NFL owners meetings and explained the punishment more thoroughly. "I have a difference of opinion on the severity of the discipline. We take accountability for what happened," Lynch said. He revealed that the 49ers overpaid an unspecified player $75,000 during the COVID era, labeling the mistake as a "clerical error" after implementing a new system. "We own


placeholder image

49ers GM John Lynch attends Michigan Pro Day

By David Bonilla
Mar 22

As expected, Michigan's Pro Day has a significant NFL presence. The event features 18 draft-eligible players from the national champion's roster. Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy reports that San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch is among those in attendance. Lynch is one of nine general managers on hand to evaluate the draft hopefuls. PRO-DAY UPDATE: Only fitting that national champs @UMichFootball, with record 18 Combine invitees, have biggest NFL turnout for pro-day.Here's list of NFL attendees who'll


placeholder image

49ers actively negotiating with Brandon Aiyuk, not discussing trades, says John Lynch

By David Bonilla
Mar 25

General manager John Lynch addressed reporters at the NFL owners meetings on Monday, emphasizing the San Francisco 49ers' active pursuit of a contract extension for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. There has been significant speculation surrounding Aiyuk's status this offseason. The receiver is slated to play on his fifth-year option, which guarantees him $14.124 million in 2024. While the team would be content with Aiyuk playing on that fifth-year option, it would prefer to secure the star receiver to a long-term deal before he returns to the field. RELATED: Brandon Aiyuk reacts to John Lynch's latest contract negotiation


placeholder image

John Lynch explains 49ers' free-agency moves

By David Bonilla
Mar 25

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch addressed reporters on Monday at the NFL owners meetings, shedding light on the team's recent free-agency moves. The most notable move was signing pass rusher Leonard Floyd to a two-year contract. The 49ers also secured defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos on a two-year deal. Lynch explained the rationale behind opting for multi-year contracts, highlighting the desire for stability on the defensive line. "We did some two-year deals on the D-line, so we don't have to do this every year. It gets hard," Lynch remarked with a smile. Lynch delved into the specifics of each signing, starting with Floyd, emphasizing the player's consistency and high level of competitiveness. DE Leonard


Latest

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone