LAS VEGAS — The Kyle Shanahan coaching tree has been the talk of Super Bowl week. But Shanahan isn’t the only San Francisco 49ers decision-maker cultivating an extensive network of former underlings around the NFL.
Don’t look now, but 49ers general manager John Lynch has created a GM factory in San Francisco.
The John Lynch GM Tree Keeps Expanding
Lynch didn’t take a traditional route to the 49ers’ GM chair. A 15-year NFL veteran and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Lynch — like San Francisco quarterbacks coach Brian Griese — worked in broadcasting for over a decade after retiring before re-entering the league.
Lynch never worked in scouting or football operations before taking over for the 49ers. While he assisted his former teammate and then-Denver Broncos general manager John Elway with draft preparations (specifically for defensive backs, Lynch’s playing position), Lynch hadn’t held an official title until he was hired as San Francisco’s GM in 2017.
Shanahan controls the 49ers’ 53-man roster, while Lynch handles the 90-man. Lynch, who added “president of football operations” to his title when he signed an extension with San Francisco in Sept. 2023, also delegates much of the 49ers’ salary cap and business operations to fellow executive Paraag Marathe.
San Francisco thrives on collaboration. A cavalcade of Shanahan’s former lieutenants — Mike McDaniel, DeMeco Ryans, Robert Saleh, Bobby Slowik, and others — have landed head coaching and coordinator positions around the NFL.
It’s the same story in the front office, where Lynch has witnessed four former assistants take GM roles during his tenure.
Adam Peters, Washington Commanders
Lynch knew Adam Peters from his work with the Broncos, and Peters joined the 49ers alongside Lynch and Shanahan in 2017. Hired as San Francisco’s vice president of player personnel, Peters was promoted to assistant general manager in 2021.
Considered one of the top GM candidates in the NFL, Peters had repeatedly rebuffed overtures from interested teams in years past. Last offseason, he declined interview requests from the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans, the only two clubs searching for general managers in 2023.
Intrigued by the idea of leading the league in cap space and owning the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Peters accepted the Washington Commanders’ GM job last month.
Ran Carthon, Tennessee Titans
Ran Carthon worked for the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Rams after his NFL career as a running back ended, then linked up with Lynch in 2017.
After rising San Francisco’s ranks, Carthon secured the Titans’ GM job last offseason. He might’ve won a power struggle with former head coach Mike Vrabel, who was fired earlier this year. Either way, Carthon now holds immense power in Tennessee following Vrabel’s departure.
Carthon hired his first head coach last month, selecting former Cincinnati Bengals OC Brian Callahan to take charge.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Minnesota Vikings
Adofo-Mensah predated Lynch in San Francisco, having joined the 49ers’ football and research department in 2013. He had another stop before accepting his first GM job, a layover as the Cleveland Browns’ vice president of player personnel from 2020 to 2022.
Adofo-Mensah was hired as the Minnesota Vikings’ GM during the 2022 offseason and repeatedly spoke about the concept of a “competitive rebuild” — a roster-building strategy that would keep the Vikings in the playoff mix without sacrificing long-term stability.
For the most part, Adofo-Mensah has stuck to those principles through two seasons in Minnesota. However, this offseason could be a turning point with quarterback Kirk Cousins headed for unrestricted free agency and wide receiver Justin Jefferson in search of a contract extension.
Martin Mayhew, Washington Commanders
Martin Mayhew had been the Detroit Lions’ GM before joining Lynch in San Francisco, so he gave the 49ers an experienced voice upon entering the front office in 2017. He spent four years working alongside Lynch before departing for the Commanders’ GM job in 2021.
Washington struggled during Mayhew’s stint, but former owner Daniel Snyder was likely more responsible for the club’s woes than anyone in the front office. Mayhew has since been replaced by Peters but will remain with the Commanders as an executive.
What Comes Next for the 49ers’ Front Office?
The 49ers have benefitted from the NFL’s regulations on minority hires. In 2020, the league amended the Rooney Rule, stipulating that a team that loses an individual from an underrepresented background to a head coaching or general manager role receives third-round compensatory picks in each of the two following drafts.
Other executives have “complained to the league office about the sheer number of compensatory picks the 49ers have received for serving as a pipeline for coaches and executives of color,” according to Seth Wickersham of ESPN.
But San Francisco has to deal with the fallout of consistently watching assistants leave for other clubs. Shanahan has managed the brain drain from the 49ers’ coaching staff, and Lynch has to do the same in the front office.
MORE: How Kyle Shanahan Is Building a Legacy One Assistant Coach at a Time
Who could San Francisco lose next? The 49ers’ executive cupboard isn’t bare quite yet.
Director of pro personnel RJ Gillen and director of college scouting Tariq Ahmad might be on the 2025 general manager radar. If teams are searching for the next Adofo-Mensah, 49ers vice president of football operation Brian Hampton might be intriguing.
As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!