The 49ers could have had a giant wrench thrown into their offseason. General manager John Lynch spoke with Amazon, which will become a bigger player among the NFL’s broadcast partners, about returning to the booth to broadcast. The move might’ve tripled his salary according to one report.
While broadcasting may be a lucrative venture, Lynch on Wednesday in a press conference at the combine said the competitiveness of being a GM pulled him back to the front office.
“Well, I came to this business because of the opportunity to compete. I think we have a very good team and I think we’ve got an opportunity to get better and I’m into that,” Lynch said. “It’s flattering when people come, especially people whom you respect so much, old friends and whatnot, and show interest. And you listen, but ultimately, I made a decision, my family made a decision that this is where my heart is at right now. And that’s what I’ve always had guide me. So, I’m happy to be here and that’s that.”
Lynch began his broadcasting career with Fox in 2008, and walked away from the booth after nine seasons to become the 49ers GM in 2017. In that time he’s overseen a front office that built a Super Bowl-caliber roster from the ground up, and made a massive trade last offseason to move up to No. 3 in the draft to take a potential franchise quarterback.
There would understandably be a feeling of unfinished business for anyone who’s been with the organization since Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan took over in 2017. For Lynch it was enough to walk away from a potentially massive payday.
While he did close the door on an immediate return to the booth, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him go that route at some point in the not-too-distant future.
“It is a lot of money though,” Lynch said with a laugh. ‘I can’t believe they’re paying that much for people that talk football. It’s unbelievable.”
