NFL analyst Mike Florio floated an unconventional scenario in which Troy Aikman joins the San Francisco 49ers front office if John Lynch returns to broadcasting, according to Pro Football Network.
The speculation followed Aikman showering 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan with high praise during an appearance on a radio program, naming Shanahan as his preferred coaching target if he ever ran a team, as detailed by Pro Football Network.
During an appearance on “The Ticket in Dallas,” Aikman stated regarding his ideal coaching choice, “First call I’d make is to the 49ers and say, ‘How much is it going to take to get Kyle Shanahan?’ Because I think he’s that good.”
Florio wondered on “Pro Football Talk” whether Aikman could ever make that call for the Dallas Cowboys, where he has been heavily linked to a front-office job.
The analyst ultimately doubted that Dallas owner Jerry Jones would be willing to make the necessary financial and draft pick investments to secure Shanahan, per Pro Football Network.
Regarding Jones’ potential spending habits, Florio stated on “I have a feeling that Jerry Jones will not make the financial investment necessary to hire Kyle Shanahan, much less the draft pick investment.”
Florio then identified the specific condition that could create an unexpected front-office opening in San Francisco for the former star quarterback, according to Pro Football Network.
Addressing the likelihood of Lynch’s departure back to the media, Florio stated on “If John Lynch would leave to go back to broadcasting. And I don’t know what the chance of that happening is, but based on some things I’ve heard over the years, I’d say it’s a non-zero percent chance.”
The analyst further suggested the true motivation behind Aikman’s recent remarks, noting on “Maybe Shanahan could hire Aikman to be the GM of the 49ers. Maybe that’s why Aikman’s saying all that, not so that he could someday hire Kyle Shanahan, but so that Shanahan may hire him.”
Lynch previously worked as a Fox Sports analyst from 2009 through 2016 before the 49ers hired him in 2017 to serve as general manager and president of football operations, as reported by Pro Football Network.