Here is what John Lynch had to say about what the 49ers will need to win the Super Bowl.
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00:00 >> I think that's why there's a mutual respect.
00:05 I know a respect from our team towards theirs.
00:09 They're a really good football team, so you better be on your game or
00:12 that will happen.
00:13 And so we've got nothing from the top of their franchise on down.
00:19 And my family to Brett Beach, the job he does, Andy, as good as it gets.
00:24 I've been competing against Andy as a player.
00:27 I admired him when I was a broadcaster and now in this, and he's as good as it gets.
00:33 So, and they're players, fantastic.
00:36 So they're a well constructed team.
00:38 You gotta be on your game to take them down.
00:41 >> There'd be more relevance from that game to this year than four years ago.
00:47 >> Probably more, certainly more players that are still on each team.
00:52 But every year is a new year in this league.
00:53 And every game is a new game, so that's the way we're approaching it.
00:57 >> Hey, Mike.
00:59 >> Did you have to make a special trip to UNLV to check out the fields?
01:05 >> Matt, we're here and I'm done talking about fields.
01:08 It is what it is and our players have been tremendous and they're going out and
01:14 that's what we're given.
01:14 And so we're gonna go practice to try to be the real good football team.
01:18 >> And you feel like you can go full speed, like having a regular Thursday
01:22 practice. >> I think we did today.
01:23 We had a really good spirited, focused practice.
01:26 And our guys have a mindset that's very focused right now.
01:33 So I don't think that will get in our way.
01:35 >> John, what are your thoughts on Raheem Morris getting the Atlanta drop?
01:39 >> Yeah, I think a lot of people do that.
01:40 I just lit up when you mentioned that.
01:42 There's something about Raheem, his energy.
01:45 I remember when Herm Edwards first brought him down.
01:50 And I remember Herm telling me, he met this kid at Hofstra.
01:54 Raheem was playing at Hofstra and I think had maybe started the GA.
02:01 And Herm was doing training camp there.
02:03 And Herm told him if he wanted a job, show up at the track when Herm was working out
02:07 at 4.15 AM.
02:08 And he said Raheem never missed.
02:10 Raheem sat right behind me in our old facility.
02:15 We called it the woodshed.
02:16 It wasn't too fancy.
02:18 And man, just got to appreciate Raheem for
02:21 the unbelievable spirit that he has within a real sharp football mind.
02:26 He got thrown into it at a real young age down at Tampa.
02:31 I thought did well.
02:32 And so happy for him as so many people in the league are.
02:37 He's earned this opportunity.
02:38 And I think the Falcons made a great choice.
02:40 I'm real excited for Raheem Morris.
02:42 >> John, there was a report that went out to Denver Connections on your team.
02:47 Do you guys, as you look around, do you guys, during the downtime,
02:51 ever speak at all and talk about the old days or-
02:55 >> Yeah, I think we all do.
02:57 From Kyle's dad to Bobby Turner to Christian.
03:02 I mean, Christian, I played with his dad at Stanford.
03:06 I was a quarterback throwing passes to his dad.
03:09 I remember his mom at Stanford being a great soccer player when I was there.
03:14 So there's a lot of connections, and there tends to be that in football.
03:18 And it is fun, though.
03:23 It's something that bonds us really tight, and it's a good group of people.
03:28 >> John, there was a report that some owners are
03:31 disgruntled about the damn Niners giving out these comp picks.
03:35 >> I didn't know that.
03:36 >> You didn't know that on breaking news?
03:38 >> No.
03:39 >> I don't know.
03:40 Your response would be- >> Develop your own.
03:43 And give people opportunities.
03:47 They might get some.
03:47 So that's what I'd say.
03:49 So we try to hire the best people, and we've been fortunate that,
03:55 and I'm thrilled for each and every one of those guys.
03:59 Whether they be head coaches or GMs, it's an incentive program the league came up
04:04 with, it's not why we do it.
04:06 We try to give great opportunities to people that are eager and
04:10 wanna help make us a better organization.
04:12 And happy that a lot of those are minorities who've earned the opportunity.
04:18 So they've done nothing but earn that, and I'm proud of each and
04:21 every one of them, and proud of our organization.
04:24 >> John, what kind of challenge is that when you lose brain power like that?
04:26 >> Yeah. >> You kind of have to replace and
04:28 keep the pressure here.
04:30 >> It's not easy, but I think when you have a good idea of who you are and
04:35 what you stand for, it's a little bit easier.
04:40 Because when people come in, they know the way, and
04:43 the key is hiring good people.
04:45 But it is hard, it's hard to lose really talented people.
04:49 That's happened, and we've been able to kind of keep going.
04:56 But it is difficult, I'm sure.
04:57 You don't look forward to it.
04:59 You are happy for every time that someone from our place earns an opportunity and
05:03 wish them the best.
05:07 It just feels like we're always playing against their people.
05:09 That's a tough one.
05:10 >> John, in about 24 hours, we'll find out whether Patrick Wills makes a home game.
05:15 What would it mean to have him join that club and to give a home reserve against him?
05:19 >> You know, Matt, fantastic football player, fantastic human being.
05:24 Played it the right way.
05:25 Exuded leadership, exuded kind of what an inside linebacker should be to me.
05:31 Physicality, athleticism.
05:33 Just played it with a passion that I think was unique.
05:38 You could tell his teammates responded, the crowd responded to the way he played.
05:43 Every time Patrick's around, I ask him to come around more because our players
05:48 really, he's just, he's got a special way about him that inspires people.
05:57 And so I think Patrick's deserving.
06:00 I hope it's his day.
06:01 If so, there's gonna be a lot of people, a lot of the faithful,
06:06 a lot of people on this team come to know him that are gonna be real,
06:09 real happy for Patrick.
06:11 >> You mentioned the importance of versatility, different positions.
06:15 Has working with Kyle kind of changed your view on the linebacker position in
06:18 particular, just being able to have guys that, as an offense,
06:23 that system gets more widespread around the league, exploits those positions?
06:26 >> Yeah, I think we go back to when we were all putting it together.
06:29 And Robert Sala, probably his background was as a linebacker coach.
06:33 So kinda, and we had those Seattle guys as a blueprint, so
06:36 kinda what we're looking for.
06:37 And then you stumble upon your own and
06:38 you kinda make it your own as you make your defense your own.
06:41 And at one point we went after Reuben Foster and then there was this guy who
06:46 didn't have dreadlocks back then named Fred Warner who came from BYU,
06:50 a converted kinda hybrid.
06:52 Man, now Fred's the standard.
06:54 And then you go get a guy, Dre Greenlaw, another senior bull that we both saw those
06:57 guys at the senior bull.
06:59 And Dre's been a fantastic player.
07:03 We're really fortunate to have great linebackers.
07:05 I think the one consistent with that, those guys are coached well.
07:08 Johnny Holland's been here from the beginning.
07:11 I mean, when you think about it,
07:12 D'Amico Ryan's was the assistant linebacker coach.
07:14 This guy's been coached well.
07:16 And they know it, but I give them so
07:19 much credit cuz they're some of our hardest workers.
07:21 Reminds me a lot of those guys do, a guy I played with,
07:25 one of the greats of all time, Derrick Brooks.
07:27 The elements to their game that remind me a lot of Derrick.
07:30 And Derrick will tell you the same thing.
07:32 So proud to have those guys.
07:34 >> John, you experienced that.
07:35 >> [INAUDIBLE]
07:45 >> Well, I think we talk a lot about
07:56 when we're in drafting, when we're in free agency,
07:58 when we try to trade for players or look to improve our team.
08:03 We talk about a couple categories, talent, but then spirit,
08:06 probably just that we're more important.
08:08 Our misses probably have been more on the spirit side.
08:12 We got a pretty good idea because we've had some continuity
08:16 together as a coaching staff and personnel staff.
08:21 We got a good idea of what we're looking for.
08:23 When we've missed, it's probably been you try to make an exception
08:25 about, well, we've got a pretty strong locker room.
08:28 So I think it's an emphasis of ours.
08:30 We know what we're looking for.
08:31 We've got a bunch of core values and
08:33 things we're looking for in a guy's spirit.
08:36 Things like you gotta love this game.
08:37 This game's hard.
08:38 I did it for a long time.
08:39 I know there's nothing easy about it.
08:41 So you better love it and you better find guys that love it.
08:44 When you do that, we think that's contagious.
08:47 So that goes a long way.
08:49 You need guys that are dependable.
08:50 There's so many things and that's a part of every discussion we have when we're
08:54 talking about adding a player to the mix.
08:57 And you can deviate from time to time, but it's usually not gonna end up well.
09:02 So we've gotten better at not doing that.
09:04 >> How do you define spirit?
09:06 >> I think the spirit of probably the intangibles,
09:09 the things that, but those are so critical to a team.
09:13 And when you get a bunch of guys like that, you have the character,
09:15 you have the grit.
09:16 A lot of people have buzzwords to define it.
09:19 But you can see it, you can feel it, and it's pretty palpable.
09:22 We got a lot of guys who fit that mold.
09:23 >> Can you tell us about- >> John, you experienced-
09:25 >> Intangibles?
09:26 >> Man, he's a special guy.
09:27 I think Brock's got, I always find it interesting when,
09:33 and there's a lot of great players.
09:36 They mix confidence that's kinda unparalleled with the humility
09:41 as well to be one of the guys who accept roles.
09:45 And I think Brock's got leadership in that.
09:50 To me, leaders make everyone around them better.
09:52 Brock's got that ability.
09:54 He's got a poise and a calmness.
09:58 Brock's got a lot of faith in his life.
10:00 I think it shows in the way he plays the game.
10:02 Probably that confidence and that humility that I talked about.
10:06 So you can go on and on with the intangibles that Brock has, and
10:10 it's what made him such a success in his short time in the league.
10:13 >> So you experienced him as a player.
10:15 What is winning a Super Bowl do for the perception of a player or a coach?
10:19 How does it just change?
10:21 >> I don't focus a lot on the perception.
10:23 I choose to focus more on the reality.
10:26 And I know what it does.
10:27 It's something that people, and
10:29 there's certain things that are old adages or cliches.
10:33 But I do know that when I talk to Derek Brooks and Rondae Barber and
10:37 Warren Sapp, that's something that they can never take, that group.
10:41 So that's real.
10:42 That's not a perception.
10:43 That's something that they can never take from that group.
10:45 And that's something special.
10:48 So it's what you strive for.
10:50 It's what you play for.
10:51 If your mind's right in this league, and we got that opportunity.
10:54 >> John, I heard you say before that you can't keep everybody in a salary cap league.
11:00 How have you guys kept so many big stars in a salary cap league?
11:05 >> When you get a lot of good players, it gets harder and harder.
11:07 And so there's challenges each and every year.
11:10 You gotta try to make value judgments.
11:12 So you gotta, that's why the draft is typically,
11:15 it should be your lifeblood of who you are because those players are cheaper.
11:19 I don't like talking to players like that, but
11:21 that's just the reality of how our league is set up.
11:23 So you better be good at drafting and have a number of hits there.
11:27 It's not the only way.
11:28 We try to acquire any means necessary.
11:31 But I think the key there is you better be good at drafting because if you're just
11:34 trying to get free agents every year, it's not sustainable.
11:38 Go ahead, Lindsey.
11:39 >> Thank you.
11:39 You put together a lot of special rosters.
11:41 What's the dividing characteristic of this 2021 group?
11:46 >> Yeah.
11:48 I think that's still unwritten.
11:50 But to me, the spirit I was just talking about,
11:54 I think this group is obviously very talented.
11:58 Probably as talented a group as I've seen assembled,
12:02 like just the way they complement each other and everything.
12:04 But they do have a special spirit, evidenced in the last couple weeks.
12:08 Those games haven't gone like we would have written a script,
12:11 coming out fast and all that.
12:13 We've been tested, but their resilience has paid off, their belief has paid off.
12:19 And so I think that's what I think about most.
12:21 There's a lot of great leadership on this team, a lot of love for each other.
12:24 And that's what I think about when I think of this group.
12:27 >> John, I'm sure you'll love this question, but
12:32 the last six minutes of the Super Bowl lost to the Chiefs.
12:36 Where did you watch that from?
12:38 And what are your memories from that experience?
12:41 >> Yeah, I watched it from down on the field.
12:43 The NFL security came and got me and just kinda went down.
12:49 They told you they needed you down there.
12:51 So not a good memory, the one that got away.
12:58 So yeah, that's the memory there.
13:01 >> John, what have you shared with us about what it takes to win a Super Bowl based on
13:05 your own experience?
13:07 >> Well, I think what I've been able to, whether it be individually or
13:11 if I've had an opportunity to speak to the team, it's just the opportunity at hand.
13:16 And you try to give from doing it when I played, from doing it here.
13:23 You're gonna not look back and say, man,
13:26 I wish I would have gone out more in Vegas.
13:28 You're gonna look back and this is the time to dial in.
13:32 Steve Young said it well, no FOMO here.
13:35 This is all about the opportunity at hand.
13:38 And I think our guys have done a really good job of that,
13:41 being really focused on the challenge, on the opportunity.
13:45 And it's rare, it's hard to get here, so you wanna make the most of it.
13:49 >> Glad you were able to come to Brock.