San Francisco 49ers hire Martin Mayhew as senior personnel executive

New San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch added to his front office Thursday by naming Martin Mayhew senior personnel executive.

"My relationship with Martin spans more than two decades, and in that time I have developed a tremendous amount of respect for him both personally and professionally," Lynch said. "Not only do we gain a tremendous talent evaluator, but also a highly experienced front office executive. Martin has sat in the seat as a general manager and his experience will play an integral role in helping us locate the type of football player we want representing this organization both on the field and in the community. I am excited to have him as a teammate once again."

Since taking the job Jan. 30, Lynch hired former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan as coach. He also tapped former Denver Broncos director of college scouting Adam Peters to be vice president of player personnel.

Mayhew and Lynch played alongside each other in the secondary of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1993 to 1996.

After Mayhew's playing career ended, he spent 15 years in the front office with the Detroit Lions. He replaced Matt Millen in 2008 as general manager and drafted quarterback Matthew Stafford, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and defensive end Ezekiel Ansah.

Mayhew also signed wide receiver Golden Tate and safety Glover Quin in free agency and in 2014, those moves helped the Lions win 11 games and reach the playoffs.

Mayhew's tenure in Detroit ended when he was fired with a 1-7 record in 2015. He spent last season working on the salary cap, CBA compliance and contract negotiations as director of football operations/special projects with the New York Giants.