The San Francisco 49ers have hired Hall of Fame candidate and FOX analyst John Lynch to be their new general manager, the team announced Sunday night.

Sources tell ESPN the deal is for an almost unprecedented six years.

Lynch has no front-office experience but has been connected to front-office jobs in the past. 

"So many opportunities are missed in the NFL because people don't want to do something different," Jed York said. "We're OK with that, because I am confident in Kyle and John. John has watched John Elway and how he's built a team in Denver. As easy as it is to say he hasn't built a team yet -- I get that -- I talk to Kyle, and he says John is the most prepared of all the TV [people] he meets in the production meetings before games.

"We understand we'll have to live with growing pains, but I'm willing to do that because I believe the upside with both of them is so great."

The San Francisco 49ers are expected to hire a new general manager this week.

Vikings assistant G.M. George Paton and Cardinals vice president of player personnel Terry McDonough were the two men to meet with the 49ers and Kyle Shanahan.

Mark Dominik also has been in consideration but there hasn't been an interview.

Paton also interviewed for the Colts G.M. job, but there’s been no sign that he’ll be back for a second interview. 

The San Francisco 49ers have announced that they’ve put a freeze on season-ticket prices through the next two seasons.

The team is in the midst of a three-year playoff drought and will have a new general manager and head coach next season.

The 49ers fired first-year coach Chip Kelly and Trent Baalke after a disappointing 2016 season with a 2-14 record.

Kyle Shanahan will meet with the San Francisco 49ers to discuss their head coaching vacancy for the second time on Saturday.

Dan Quinn said Shanahan is free to sit down with the 49ers this weekend despite the fact that the Atlanta Falcons are preparing to face the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

The San Francisco 49ers are expected to hire George Paton for their general manager job.

Paton is expected to meet with the 49ers and soon-to-be head coach Kyle Shanahan next week.

Paton is currently with the Minnesota Vikings as assistant general manager under Rick Spielman.

The other remaining candidate for the job is Terry McDonough of the Arizona Cardinals.

Green Bay Packers director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst has pulled his name from the running to be named the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers.

Gutekunst has instead signed a new deal with the Packers.

Earlier this week Green Bay director of football operations Eliot Wolf withdrew from consideration for the same job and signed a new contract.

With several other candidates taking themselves out of contention for the San Francisco 49ers' head coaching and general manager jobs, Kyle Shanahan figures to benefit greatly from the search.

Shanahan will be the highest paid first time head coach in NFL history and also have final say on the roster and the draft.

Shanahan will also be directly involved in deciding upon the general manager.

The San Francisco 49ers have been dysfunctional of late but there's optimism in some circles that it could be desirable with a few tweaks.

The impediment reportedly isn't Jed York as much as it is Chief Strategy Officer and EVP of Football Operations Paraag Marathe.

From his online bio: “On the team side, Marathe reports directly to 49ers CEO Jed York and has a significant role in major strategic decisions for the club as Chief Strategy Officer. He also continues in his long-respected role as the team’s chief contract negotiator and salary cap architect, while overseeing the team’s football analytics department.”

Marathe has been in the job for 16 years.

The Chargers are leaving San Diego for Los Angeles, which has led to speculation that Philip Rivers might want to move on as well.

Rivers shot down that notion to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, saying he has a no-trade clause and is fine with Los Angeles.

Jim Trotter of ESPN reached out to Rivers for comment on rumors linking him to the San Francisco 49ers, to which the quarterback said, "news to me."

The San Francisco 49ers plan on offering their head coaching job to Kyle Shanahan as soon as they're allowed to do so with the Atlanta Falcons still in the playoffs.

Shanahan interviewed with the 49ers earlier this month in the window such interviews with coaches from playoff teams are allowed.

The 49ers are "willing to wait" for Shanahan.

Shanahan is in his second year as offensive coordinator with the Falcons. He previously held the same role in Washington, Houston and Cleveland.