John Lynch reveals why he turned down massive offer from Amazon
Feb 25, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch proved his loyalty to the organization this offseason, and now we know why.
In February, the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand reported that Amazon tried to hire Lynch as a game analyst. According to The Athletic’s David Lombardi, Lynch was reportedly offered around $15 million annually to broadcast games for the company.
Much to the relief of 49ers fans, Lynch turned down the offer. The 50-year-old revealed why he turned down Amazon while speaking to reporters at the Dwight Clark Legacy Series event this weekend.
“I think the moment for me, after we lost the NFC Championship Game, Kyle (Shanahan) asked me to address the team and that’s when the clarity really came to me,” Lynch said. “I wasn’t gonna address it until after the season. But I looked at myself and I said ‘How do I sit up here and address these guys and talk about having the fortitude to fight through the pain of losing a game like this and then turn around and bolt them?’ I couldn’t do it.
“I knew right then what I was going to do. And I’m happy to be a part of the 49ers.”
John Lynch was reportedly offered ~$15m annually to leave 49ers to broadcast for Amazon. He called it a "stupid" amount of money.
Why did Lynch turn it down?
New story — When Kyle Shanahan asked him to address the team after the NFFCG loss, Lynch had a powerful realization ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/3O1fqgd4iu
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) June 5, 2022
The 49ers snuck into the playoffs last season at 10-7. They upset both the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers before losing to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game.
While Trey Lance is an unproven commodity at quarterback, the team’s roster is otherwise solid.
Lynch and the 49ers don’t plan to trade Deebo Samuel after the star receiver made it known that he wanted out earlier this offseason. George Kittle and Trent Williams are perennial All-Pro players on offense, and players such as Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and Dee Ford are of a similar caliber defensively. Having helped construct a 49ers team with the talent to make another run at a Super Bowl in 2022, it’s no wonder why Lynch opted to stay.