NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport tweeted on Sunday that the San Francisco 49ers could have everything wrapped up on Monday as far as the general manager search is concerned. While they may not make an announcement on the hire, we can definitely start connecting dots with the candidates that either withdraw or announce they were passed on. Fooch made a point today that agents and others will be tweeting out on their connections not getting hired, so we can start crossing names off the list.
The 49ers brought George Paton and Terry McDonough to Atlanta to meet with speculated future coach Kyle Shanahan to see who he may want to work with. The interview concluded sometime Saturday evening and with its conclusion, the 49ers cannot speak to Kyle Shanahan until after the Super Bowl next Sunday.
Since the 49ers can’t make a hire, let alone a phone call, it’s all eyes on the general manager. Paton has been the front runner, with McDonough also under consideration. Niners Nation’s own Jennifer Lee Chan reported that there is also a third man in the mix that no one has been able to identify yet.
So far, nothing has come out about who is going to emerge as the 49ers’ guy, but hopefully tomorrow we can start putting the pieces together and figure out who will be taking the reigns of the front office as well as get things together for the draft and free agency preparations that this search may have delayed.