NFL Expert Believes 49ers Will Never Fire Kyle Shanahan or John Lynch

This has substance.

Jul 27, 2022; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan (left) and general manager John Lynch watches the players during Training Camp at the SAP Performance Facility near Levi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers are now entering their 10th year with Kyle Shanahan as head coach and John Lynch as general manager.

The duo have taken the 49ers from a struggling franchise to two Super Bowl appearances, four NFC Championship Game appearances, and last year’s divisional-round playoff berth.

But while that may look impressive on paper, no Lombardi Trophy has been added to the cabinet since their arrival. It’s the one thing that has eluded them, and with San Francisco continuing to extend their championship window around an aging core, a lot could be at stake for the future of the franchise if they cannot capture a sixth Super Bowl title.

It’s not unfair to suggest that 2026 could represent the final opportunity for the core players who helped turn the 49ers into contenders to finally win that elusive Super Bowl. Recent draft classes have failed to consistently produce immediate impact stars, which only adds to the pressure on the current group.

In many ways, it says a lot that the franchise’s best draft success in recent years was stumbling upon Brock Purdy to become the face of the franchise at quarterback.

Jun 10, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan (left) and general manager John Lynch watch their team work out during an OTA at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

With that in mind, criticism has been directed at the front office for some of its recent decisions, especially following this year’s draft. However, NFL insider and expert Tom Pelissero believes that even if this rookie class fails to live up to expectations, there will be no real threat to the job security of either Shanahan or Lynch at the end of the season.

"I don't see a world where John Lynch ever gets fired by the 49ers," Pelissero said on The Rich Eisen Show.

"Same thing with Kyle Shanahan. They have stabilized that franchise. If you remember how things were for several years before they got there, it was a constant churn.

"It was the end of the Jim Harbaugh era, which became the Jim Tomsula era, which became the Chip Kelly era. The 49ers are competitive year after year."

Pelissero added that their positions, particularly John Lynch’s, would only come under threat if he personally decided to step away and take on an ambassadorial-type role within the organization because of everything he has done for the franchise.

"Top of the draft, bang for the buck hasn't always been there," Pelissero admitted. "I don't think it's a matter of do you fire John Lynch. If anything, at some point, could John Lynch decide, I've had enough, and I'm going to walk away, I'm going to go into an emeritus role."