How a Stanford professor helped lay the foundation for this 49ers era

For his first few frenetic months as the San Francisco 49ers’ general manager in 2017, John Lynch left his family behind in San Diego. His temporary home at the Santa Clara Marriott became a brainstorming center for reversing the fortunes of a moribund franchise. The 49ers, coming off a 2-14 season, had perhaps the NFL’s …