John Lynch says 49ers can't start slow versus Chiefs, addresses lack of defensive effort and more

A Super Bowl berth offers the only positive occasion for a team owner, head coach and general manager to address the media. After Jed York spoke to reporters Thursday, John Lynch followed suit Friday.

Whereas York's appearance was a retrospective on the journey of the 49ers' team and an expression of pride in Kyle Shanahan (a decision that fundamentally altered the perception of York), Lynch was looking to the moment next Sunday.

He stressed the need of the 49ers to avoid another slow start, joking that the last two wins had added gray hairs to his head. He was not joking about the need to be effective early against Patrick Mahomes.

Lynch covered a variety of topics which will be broken down into subsections, starting with that emphasis on urgency.

Need to start fast

Lynch simultaneously credited the 49ers' resiliency in the past two games and seemed to suggest that recipe was not one they should try to refer to next Sunday.

"It does show, I think, the character of this team, the grit of this team, the resilience of this team," Lynch said. "I guess I'd say it's been fun, the results' [have] been fun. It's been different. I think we're typically a start fast team and I think we'll have to be that this week.

"But I guess that the nice thing is we know that we can do it. So if you fall behind, and I'm proud of our guys, the ultimate goal is at the end of the game, to have more points the other team and they've done a tremendous job of doing that. But we do want to start faster and play better from the beginning. We need to have our footing from the beginning and we need to come out on point."

On Shanahan believing Purdy was the top QB in 2022 camp

The most revelatory moment from York's appearance Sunday was a revelation that back in training camp of 2022, Kyle Shanahan pulled him to the side. According to York, Shanahan said then that he believed Brock Purdy might be the 49ers' best quarterback.

Lynch said his "jaw was on the floor" when Shanahan told York that. He understood the interest in the story but tried to reframe the focus on the game.

"When he told Jed that, my jaw hit the floor," Lynch said. "He had told me that, but Kyle often runs things by me to see if they're crazy. Kyle and I had been talking. I mean, we liked Brock early, but it was in a really limited fashion that we had seen him, so I think we had a hunch that we had a chance to have something special and Kyle is about a direct a person [as there is]. He's really easy to work with because there's no gray area.

"And so Jed told the story, but I think where I'm at right now we've got a huge challenge in front of us. So looking back on all that, that's fun. But the great thing is, I guess Kyle was fairly prophetic that day because he's turned into a pretty special player for us and we're really pleased about that."

He also joked later, in recounting the Christian McCaffrey trade, that York – who offered a few nuggets without being pressed to – has a great memory.

The Christian McCaffrey trade

York said that when the McCaffrey trade was going down, Shanahan was the only one, along with him and Lynch, who seemed to pump the brakes.

Lynch said that Shanahan is typically the other way around.

"I mean, that thing was a long process," Lynch said. "I do remember at the end, and Kyle's usually pretty pedal to the metal and he actually was the one guy showing some constraint when it was kind of everybody else pedal to the metal because we saw it within striking distance and there were a lot of motivations.

"Kyle, I think was just trying to be smart and gather, 'Hey, are we sure?' And ultimately we were able to pull it off. I think it's paid great dividends and fond memories. Jed remembers a lot of stuff. It does jog my memory."

Lack of defensive effort

One of the more glaring things the 49ers have criticized is an explicit lack of effort on a handful of defensive plays.

They have not pretended not to see the clips on social media, especially a Jahmyr Gibbs touchdown run that looked especially bad for Chase Young, or Nick Bosa's example against the Packers. Steve Wilks bluntly said it was "embarrassing," but like Lynch, seemed to be confident it wouldn't be an issue in the Super Bowl.

"Effort's a non-negotiable," Lynch said. "I mean, that's that's one of our core values...

"So those things have been addressed. You got one game. I really would be shocked if we saw that again. And sometimes that comes, I mean, there's excuses for it. But they're just that, they're excuses.

"And that has to be non-negotiable. Play your heart out and then we've got a lot of good players, a lot of good depth. So those aren't plays that we're proud of, [that] those players are proud of. It's been addressed, and I'd be real surprised if I saw it."

Replacing Adam Peters

Because of the 49ers' Super Bowl run, there hasn't been a whole lot of attention on their assistant GM, Adam Peters, getting poached for the top job in Washington.

Lynch said that he would decline to offer details on how they''ll replace Peters, but confirmed that the 49ers have "the plan in place."

It sounds like an announcement on some internal promotions will come some time after the Super Bowl, with Lynch singling out Tariq Ahmad, the team's director of college scouting.

"We really do a nice job of training these guys such that there's a pipeline, always," Lynch said. "And I think it's only right that when you have capable people you stay within because that speaks to what we preach that, 'Hey, if you work your tail off and produce good work, there's going to be opportunities.'"

Bosa's speeches

One of the off-field qualities to Nick Bosa is the fact that he gives a speech every Saturday before the 49ers play. It's a duty Kyle Shanahan said he entrusted to Bosa. While he was initially uncomfortable with the duty — Shanahan joked that it's the hardest part of Bosa's week — it's one the 49ers seem to revel in.

Lynch said that those speeches are can't-miss because of their surprising insight.

"I hear every one of them," Lynch said. "You don't miss those because they're special. They really are. The kid, he doesn't say a lot, but when he does, it's very prophetic."

Steve Wilks' performance

It has been evident that the 49ers' defense is not playing to a confidence-inspiring level. It is the main point of concern for San Francisco ahead of a matchup with Patrick Mahomes.

So, how does Lynch assess defensive coordinator Steve Wilks' performance? There's no world in which he would disparage Wilks, but he noted that his move out of the booth has had a positive impact, and credited Wilks as an integral part of the playoff run.

"Steve's done great for us," Lynch said. "Steve's just got this commanding presence. I think the move down to the field because of that was a good one. I think the ability to adjust within a game is, I feel strongly it's easier when you have a guy down. Now sometimes you listen to the coach and they feel more comfortable, you give them that, and those are Kyle's calls.

"We saw fit to make that change, and I think it's been a good one. And so we're very grateful to what Steve's given to us and excited to have him going into this last game. We are where we're at and we're there for, there's a lot of reasons for it. He's one of them."