The NFL recently announced that the San Francisco 49ers would forfeit a draft pick in 2025 due to administrative payroll accounting errors. The team’s 2024 fourth round pick will also be dropped from No. 131 to 135 as part of the punishment. The 49ers took responsibility for the “clerical payroll error” and accepted the league’s discipline, stating that they did not mislead the league or gain a competitive advantage from the mistake. General manager John Lynch admitted that the error occurred when the team overpaid a player by $75,000 during the COVID era, and the league decided to impose the punishment.
At the league meetings in Florida, Lynch explained that the errors were a result of the team overcompensating a player, although he did not name the specific individual. He expressed his respect for the league and Commissioner Roger Goodell, but noted that there was a difference of opinion on the severity of the transgression. The NFL clarified that the franchise would have remained under the salary cap regardless of the error, and there was no intent to circumvent the cap with the mistake. Lynch acknowledged that the team should have reported the overpayment immediately, instead of trying to recoup the money from the player.
Despite the draft pick forfeiture, Lynch highlighted the success the team has had in the fifth round of the draft, including notable selections like star tight end George Kittle. He emphasized that despite the punishment, the fifth round had produced “pretty good” results for the franchise. The team has gone through a mitigation process to address the issues that led to the payroll accounting errors and has accepted the league’s decision as they move forward. The 49ers are focused on learning from the mistake and ensuring that similar errors do not occur in the future. Lynch acknowledged that the team had ownership of the situation and respected the league’s decision.
