"I told Dre, 'Don't you worry about that,'" Lynch shared during the KNBR interview. "Usually, the flow with the Pro Bowl is the first year you really should make it, you often don't. But you send notice around the league, and I promise you, if Dre keeps playing like this, the Pro Bowl is going to be the least of his accolades. I mean, he is playing some tremendous football.
"Obviously, Christian McCaffrey, his play speaks for itself. We're a completely different team on offense since he's been here. I thought Christian should have been a part of that team."
On Thursday afternoon, head coach Kyle Shanahan admitted that he doesn't like to make a big deal with his team about the Pro Bowl announcements. He doesn't address them in a team meeting because he doesn't want to do so in front of those who missed out.
"I think there's a number of guys who should have been in there who weren't," Shanahan said.
Such as who, specifically?
"Such as Greenlaw, without a doubt, because I didn't see him anywhere," Shanahan responded. "And I truly believe Christian would have been a starter. I'm not sure what the list is, but I know he wasn't, and that surprised me. But Greenlaw was the biggest [surprise] to me."
Greenlaw has racked up an interception, six passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and a touchdown to go along with the linebacker's team-leading 111 tackles. His 86.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus is the best among all 49ers linebackers this season, including Fred Warner, who was selected to his second Pro Bowl. Greenlaw's grade also ranks second among all NFL linebackers (Bobby Wagner, Rams, 90.5).
The only 49ers defender with a better overall grade than Greenlaw is NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidate Nick Bosa (90.2).
How does Shanahan access Greenlaw's play this season?
"I think he's had a Pro Bowl year," the coach responded. "I think he's been great. I think he's played at that level, always, when he's played for us. He missed a little bit this year, not much, been able to stay healthy, fought through some injuries early on. When he's been playing healthy, I think he's played as good as anyone in this league."
Related News
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Kyle Shanahan reveals postgame message to 49ers after playoff loss to Seahawks
What do you tell a team after a blowout playoff loss to a division rival? San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan faced that question following his team's humbling Divisional Round defeat against the Seattle Seahawks. Plagued by injuries throughout the season, the 49ers... -
49ers standouts earn PFWA honors as Christian McCaffrey makes All-NFL Team
Running back Christian McCaffrey was the lone San Francisco 49ers player selected to the 2025 Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) All-NFL Team. However, the 49ers were well represented on the All-NFC Team, with left tackle Trent Williams and linebacker Luke Gifford... -
Emptying the tank: 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey's historic season of grit
Christian McCaffrey gave everything he had to the San Francisco 49ers this season, and that reality was evident even in the team's final game—a humbling NFC Divisional Round loss to the division rival Seattle Seahawks. McCaffrey suffered a shoulder stinger late in the first... -
49ers vs. Seahawks injury updates: Christian McCaffrey suffers stinger
The San Francisco 49ers are facing the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field in a Divisional Round playoff game. Below are the latest in-game injury updates for the 49ers. This article will be updated in real time as new information becomes available. Players are listed in order of...