John Lynch, the 49ers general manager, envisioned San Francisco hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at the conclusion of the 2021 season. Instead, the 49ers surrendered a 17–7 fourth-quarter lead against the eventual Super Bowl champion Rams and suffered a 20–17 loss in the NFC Championship game.
However, after a disappointing end to the season, Amazon reportedly offered Lynch around $15 million to return to the broadcast booth, according to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post. While Lynch was not sure what decision he would make initially, he chose to turn down Amazon’s deal because he felt that he had “unfinished business” with the franchise.