The San Francisco 49ers have formally announced that the team has named John Lynch the 11th General Manager in franchise history.

"During his 15 seasons as an NFL player, John epitomized what is so special about the game of football," said 49ers CEO Jed York. "A world-class competitor, his love and respect for the sport are unmatched, and you would be hard-pressed to find anyone in league circles who does not have great respect for his work ethic and passion. Having already helped lead a team to a Super Bowl title as a player, John is equipped with tremendous insight into what it takes to create a culture that breeds sustained success. Having spent the last eight seasons as an analyst with FOX, he has honed his skills as a talented communicator while also developing valuable relationships around the league and a vast knowledge of the NFL that will be beneficial to our team. As we learned more and more about John, it became apparent that he was not only one of the best to ever play this game but also a Hall of Fame caliber man, one who people are compelled to follow."

One of the most respected players to ever play the game of football, and a four-time finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Lynch joins the 49ers after spending the past eight years (2009-16) as a color analyst for FOX Sports. This year, he worked alongside play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt as one of FOX's top broadcast crews and most recently called the NFC Divisional Round matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and the Seattle Seahawks.

Prior to joining FOX, Lynch enjoyed a 15-year career in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993-2003) and the Denver Broncos (2004-07). A four-time All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowl selection, he played in 224 games (191 starts) and registered 1,277 tackles, 13.0 sacks, 26 interceptions, 16 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries and 100 passes defensed. Lynch also started all 12 playoff games in which he appeared and tallied 71 tackles, two interceptions and 12 passes defensed. He was a captain of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl XXXVII Championship team and has been inducted into the Ring of Honor in both Tampa Bay and Denver.

Lynch attended Stanford University where he excelled in both football and baseball. On the football field, he earned Second-Team All-American and First-Team All-Pac-10 Conference honors as a senior, while playing for Hall of Fame head coach Bill Walsh. Lynch was later selected in the third round (82nd overall) of the 1993 NFL Draft by Tampa Bay. Following his career on the diamond for the Cardinal, he was selected in the second round (66th overall) of the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft by the Florida Marlins.

In addition to his stellar play on the field, Lynch is also a pillar of the community. He and his wife, Linda, formed the John Lynch Foundation, which is committed to inspiring young people to become leaders through scholarship, sport participation and community involvement. The Foundation is committed to developing leaders by encouraging dreams, providing programs that assist and motivate, and recognizing achievement and excellence.

Lynch was the recipient of the 2006 Bart Starr Award, which is voted upon by players throughout the NFL and recognizes a player who shows outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community. He was also presented with The Byron "Whizzer" White Award, which is given annually to the NFL player who serves his team, community and country in the spirit of Bryon Raymond White.