Ever since John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan took charge of the San Francisco 49ers, the team has remained a playoff contender. However, criticism over their draft decisions has continued to follow them, including the decision to take Kaelon Black in the third round. Now, one NFL insider has weighed in on whether the pressure could eventually put Lynch and Shanahan’s futures in San Francisco at risk.

“I don’t see a world where John Lynch ever gets fired by the 49ers,” Tom Pelissero said on The Rich Eisen Show on May 18, 2026. “Same thing with Kyle Shanahan. They stabilized that franchise after, if you remember how things were for several years before they got there. It was a constant churn. It was the end of the Jim Harbaugh era, which became the Jim Tomsula era, which became the Chip Kelly era. The 49ers are competitive year after year.”

While Pelissero explained that the team has remained stable during Lynch and Shanahan’s time in charge, he also pointed out that San Francisco has managed to make up for several draft mistakes through smart trades and free agency moves.

According to Pelissero, he does not believe the draft class will decide whether John Lynch or Kyle Shanahan keeps their jobs.

“Top of the draft, bang for the buck hasn’t always been there,” Pelissero added. “I don’t think it’s a matter of whether you fire John Lynch. If anything, at some point, could John Lynch decide, I’ve had enough, and I’m going to walk away, I’m going to go into an emeritus role.”

He also acknowledged many first-round selections in his interview that failed to meet expectations, including the expensive trade-up for quarterback Trey Lance, Solomon Thomas, and Reuben Foster.

Pelissero even went on to reflect on some of the most talented draft selections of the 49ers from the Lynch and Shanahan era. He included players like quarterback Brock Purdy, tight end George Kittle, and linebacker Fred Warner, all shining stars discovered outside the first rounds. However, he also added that the team needs to draft more talented players.

“You’d like to land more superstars in the draft,” Pelissero concluded.

And his point makes sense. Even with the criticism, Shanahan has led San Francisco to two Super Bowl appearances. In his ninth season as head coach, the 49ers finished 12-5 and reached the playoffs for the fifth time.

However, not everyone agrees with Pelissero, as some critics still believe the Shanahan and Lynch draft record ranks among the worst in the league.

Bad draft choices put the 49ers under pressure

The San Francisco 49ers have faced heavy criticism for their recent draft history, with some analysts even calling them the worst team in the NFL at drafting.

“I don’t know what John Lynch is doing,” Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis wrote. “…The 49ers are the WORST in the NFL at drafting, and local reporters have noticed.”

Sharp backed up his argument with a stat called Draft Capital Over Expectation (DCOE), which measures whether teams are selecting players too early or finding value picks. San Francisco ranked No. 31 in 2023, No. 28 in 2024, No. 31 again in 2025, and dead last at No. 32 in 2026.

For the 49ers, several recent draft picks have not developed into reliable contributors. From the San Francisco 49ers’ 2022 draft class, only quarterback Brock Purdy and offensive lineman Nick Zakelj are still on the roster, and none of their first five-round picks remain with the team.

Some selections have become major disappointments. Tight end Cameron Latu, a third-round pick in 2023, was waived before his second season. Cornerback Renardo Green, selected in the second round in 2024, struggled badly in coverage last year.

The criticism continued after this year’s draft. Pro Football Focus gave San Francisco a “D” grade and called seven of the team’s eight picks reaches. The only exception was defensive tackle Gracen Halton, who was viewed as a value pick in the fourth round.

However, the team continues to cement its place in the league. Clearly, while many NFL teams rely heavily on the draft to build their rosters, the 49ers seem to be taking a very different approach.