Ranking head coaches any given year is very subjective. Sure, you can go off wins and losses, playoff victories and such. But context matters. Opinions, too.
And, if it’s difficult for analysts to rank coaches, it’s arguably even more challenging to rank general managers who don’t necessarily get the objective bonus of having wins, losses, Super Bowl titles and such given to their credit automatically.
So, the fact Patrick Daugherty of NBC Sports ranked San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch seventh among all front-office leaders in the NFL entering 2025 has to be taken with a grain of contextual salt.
But, does the ranking actually make sense?
Yes and no.
here’s what Daugherty said of Lynch, including the pairing with head coach Kyle Shanahan:
“Shanny and John Lynch like big names and aren’t afraid of trades. They also do things like turn the final pick of the draft into one of the league’s highest-paid quarterbacks. “Highest paid” sometimes trips Shanny and company up. There have been a litany of contract squabbles in recent years, likely too many to maintain true locker room comity. Perhaps that’s why there was no money drama with a quarterback in Brock Purdy who probably should have been nickel and dime’d in extension talks. But perhaps Shanny is learning. He is definitely always evolving. Evolution will be a must for 2025 after an injury-plagued 2024.”
Daugherty might have missed the mark by focusing a little too much on Shanahan, who’s reportedly less in on roster control in 2025 than in years prior.
But, even bypassing that, the NBC Sports analyst leaves a few questions that are fair to raise with regard to Lynch and Co. ranked seventh.
Here are the six GMs ahead of San Francisco’s own:
Howie Roseman, Eagles
Brett Veach, Chiefs
Les Snead, Rams
Eric DeCosta, Ravens
Brian Gutekunst, Packers
Brad Holmes, Lions
OK, no one would argue with Roseman and Veach taking the top two spots, even with Super Bowl recency bias. And tossing in Snead at No. 3 makes sense, too, given Los Angeles boasts a Lombardi Trophy under his guidance, too.
But DeCosta, Gutekunst and Holmes being ranked above Lynch is a bit puzzling. Not only has Lynch been part of Super Bowl-appearing 49ers teams, whereas the trio from Nos. 4 through 6 haven’t, the Niners have been to two Super Bowls during Lynch’s tenure dating back to 2017 and were in three consecutive NFC Championship games from 2021 through 2023.
While DeCosta’s Ravens and Gutekunst’s Packers have been perennial playoff contenders during their respective tenures, both have fallen short of at least making a Super Bowl.
The Lions’ success, meanwhile, is even more short-lived.
Perhaps the subtle shot at Lynch is reflective of the offseason’s tumult as a result of 2024’s frustrating 6-11 finish, and recency bias plays into that a bit, too.
But, when looking at the greater picture, it’s questionable why Lynch and Co. aren’t ranked higher.
