The San Francisco 49ers endured another disheartening loss Sunday night, falling to the Buffalo Bills and dropping to 5-7 on the season. With their playoff hopes dwindling, questions are mounting about the direction of the team and the job security of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch.
Despite the struggles of the 2024 season, an offseason shake-up involving Shanahan or Lynch seems unlikely. The duo’s track record of success, including two Super Bowl appearances, has earned them considerable goodwill from ownership. However, three consecutive losses and their likely first playoff absence since 2020 have discouraged many fans.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter expressed confidence that the 49ers will give Shanahan and Lynch the chance to address the team’s shortcomings in the offseason. The duo’s job security is likely good enough to withstand this disappointing campaign.
“Here’s how I always think about it, because I think you’re asking about the head coach or the GM, right?” Schefter said Monday morning on the Pat McAfee Show. “If they wanted to move on from John Lynch or Kyle Shanahan, which I’ve gotten zero indication that they want to do, how quickly do you think it would be before there would be another team that would want to hire both of them?”
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Schefter’s sentiment is shared by other NFL insiders, including Benjamin Allbright, who has long argued that it would take multiple subpar seasons for the 49ers to consider parting ways with Shanahan. He likely believes the same thing about Lynch.
The 49ers have five games left on their schedule. While they are not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, the odds are slim, and their season will likely conclude in Week 18 against the Arizona Cardinals.
To complicate matters, the team may have to navigate the remainder of the season without star running back Christian McCaffrey. The veteran suffered a potentially season-ending PCL injury against the Bills. It was only his fourth game this season after missing the first eight games with Achilles tendinitis.
The 49ers will return to Levi’s Stadium this Sunday to host the Chicago Bears.
