Kyle Shanahan on new 49ers GM John Lynch: 'That's a guy you should believe in'

HOUSTON – Kyle Shanahan is about to become a first-time head coach with a first-time general manager, former all-pro safety John Lynch, who’s never even worked in scouting.

So what about Lynch makes Shanahan – the Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator who’s on track to join the San Francisco 49ers soon after Super Bowl LI – confident Lynch can do a job he’s never done?

“I really believe in people, and if anyone knows John Lynch, that’s a guy you should believe in,” Shanahan said at Super Bowl Opening Night on Monday.

“He’s been successful in everything he’s done. I think when you take a talented person who’s extremely smart, who’s got as high of a character as anyone you could be around and who truly is passionate about football and working – if you give someone time like that, they’re going to figure it out and you’re going to be successful.”

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Lynch, 45, will certainly have time on his side. The 49ers gave him a six-year contract and are expected to give Shanahan the same once they’re allowed to hire him.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Lynch – who’d been working as an analyst for the NFL on Fox – said he never thought a couple weeks ago he’d be a general manager. But he had a connection to Shanahan through Shanahan’s father, Mike, who was the Denver Broncos’ coach when Lynch played his last four NFL seasons there in the mid-2000s.

Shanahan, 37, quietly met with Lynch on Saturday in addition to two other GM candidates the 49ers brought back for second interviews. He said he didn’t know for sure Lynch was the guy until he “started getting a thousand texts” after news broke Sunday. But it’s obvious the 49ers wouldn’t have picked Lynch without Shanahan’s approval.

“They decided on John, and when I saw that, I was extremely excited,” Shanahan said.

Follow Tom Pelissero on Twitter @TomPelissero.

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