San Francisco 49ers have appointed John Lynch as their new general manager in a move that has shocked the sport.
Lynch has been appointed on a six-year deal, with Kyle Shanahan expected to sign a similar deal as head coach after the Super Bowl.
Lynch, 45, last played in 2008 and has worked as an analyst for Fox Sports since. He has never held a NFL front office job.
The only precedent was Mike Millen who made a similar move from TV to the Lions - but his seven-year spell was not a success and he was dismissed in 2008 after the only 0-16 season in NFL history.
Lynch won Super Bowl XXXVII with Tampa Bay and played under Mike Shanahan - Kyle's father - between 2004 and 2007 at Denver Broncos.