John Lynch spoke to the local media after the broadcasted press conference and covered many optics including San Francisco 49ers free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Lynch was asked about what factors could weigh on the decision regarding the quarterback especially after his polarizing cause and the actions surrounding it.
It would be a football decision but think part of that, there’s different layers to that, and so I think everything will be included in the decision. I’m not talking about specifically about his stance but I think when you have a quarterback, the great ones are leaders of men, so I think all those things will be taken into account.
I’m looking forward to sitting down with him, I really am. Colin and I, you know when I did some 49er games, I’d say we hit it off. He and I, I think there was a trust there and so I think that trust extends and I’ve certainly reached out and I’m looking forward to talking with him.
Lynch only did one 49ers game in 2016 but he has an eight-year history of talking to quarterbacks during his broadcasting career.
I’ve been doing this for 8 years, how many Niners games have I done, I’ve done a bunch, but Colin and I, you always meet with the quarterback. Bob [Lange, Vice President of Communications] said, “Wow, he doesn’t seem to trust many people and he seems to trust you.”
Trust was obviously a large issue between Kaepernick and the former regime and this at least indicates that the door isn’t completely closed. There could be a possibility that he stays but I believe that’s only if the decision is made possible by Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. I don’t believe that Kaepernick has the full support of the ownership any longer. Will Jed York meddle in the decisions made by Lynch and Shanahan or will they be given free reign?
All indications point towards Lynch and Shanahan not being controlled by ownership although both will report directly to Jed York. Although York did open the press conference, it became pretty clear John Lynch was the dominant personality of the group. That will be something to track moving forward, particularly in light of the issues of the past few years.