Picture this: Candlestick Park, January ’82. Third down. Season on the line. Joe Montana scrambles, pressure bearing down. It feels like the whole franchise holds its breath. That moment, suspended between disaster and destiny? That’s the vibe swirling through Levi’s Stadium right now. Only the pressure isn’t on a quarterback’s shoulders; it’s on Kyle Shanahan’s meticulously constructed front office.

After a jarring 6-11 stumble last season, the Niners aren’t just tweaking the roster; they’re fortifying the very foundation. Tariq Ahmad and RJ Gillen have both been promoted to VP of Player Personnel, and Matt Ploenzke has been promoted to VP of Football R&D, to support Shanahan in a move dripping with familiarity and foresight. And just like Montana finding Clark in the back of the end zone, they’ve made a connection that feels like kismet.

It’s all about familiarity for the 49ers in 2025. They’re also bringing former Vice President of Player Personnel Ethan Waugh back into the fold. This isn’t just another hire; it’s welcoming home a key architect who helped build the machinery that powered their recent runs to the brink of glory.

Waugh, who spent the past three seasons as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ assistant GM (following a whopping 17-year climb through the Niners’ ranks), is back in the Bay. His departure after the 2022 season felt like losing a vital coordinator right before the playoffs; his return? Like plugging a Pro Bowler back into the starting lineup where he belongs.

Scouting, synergy, and the software of Shanahan’s success

Think of Waugh’s career as a relentless, 21-year scouting combine of his own. He didn’t just work for the 49ers; he evolved with them. Starting as a Personnel Assistant in 2004, he meticulously climbed every rung: Midwest Regional Scout (2008–11), Senior Personnel Assistant (2012–14), Senior Player Personnel Coordinator (2015–17), Director of College Scouting & Football Systems (2018–20), and finally, VP of Player Personnel (2021–22).

This guy wasn’t just filing reports; he was modernizing the war room itself. As VP, he was John Lynch’s right hand, overseeing all scouting—college and pro. He spearheaded the shift to cloud-based databases, integrated cutting-edge analytics into draft boards, and ensured every personnel move, from extending Trent Williams to drafting Talanoa Hufanga, synced perfectly with Shanahan’s offensive symphony and the defensive scheme du jour. He didn’t just find players; he built the system that found them. His fingerprints were all over those NFC Championship rosters, the ones that felt this close.

Waugh’s return? That could just be the 49ers finding their missing puzzle piece. Waugh’s Jacksonville detour saw him step in as interim GM after Trent Baalke’s exit—a trial-by-fire proving he could steer a franchise through chaos. Now, he rejoins a front office buzzing with promotions:

• Tariq Ahmad (ex-Director of College Scouting) → VP of Player Personnel

• RJ Gillen (ex-Director of Pro Scouting) → VP of Player Personnel

• Matt Ploenzke → VP of Football R&D, crunching numbers like a Moneyball sequel

This isn’t just reshuffling deck chairs. It’s doubling down on a culture where scouts evolve like rookie QBs under Shanahan. Ahmad and Gillen—both homegrown talents—symbolize the ‘next man up’ ethos that defines this roster. Gillen’s NBA background with the Spurs? That’s ‘Spurs-level synergy,’ as one staffer put it, blending pro-evaluation savvy with long-term vision.

Waugh’s role remains fluid—likely assisting GM John Lynch in cap gymnastics or refining that proprietary analytics dashboard he pioneered. His return signals stability for a team craving continuity after a 6-11 stumble. Remember: this is the brain trust that turned Brock Purdy into a franchise QB. With Waugh back in the lab, the 49ers aren’t just reloading—they’re coding the next update. ‘Ethan? He makes adaptation look like art’

The 2025 schedule gifts them a softer landing (six QBs with ≤2 years’ experience), but the real advantage lies upstairs. Waugh’s reunion with Shanahan feels like Joe Montana finding Jerry Rice on a broken play—instinctive, inevitable, engineered for glory. As the ‘Faithful’ know, dynasties aren’t built on flash alone. They’re scouted in the quiet hours, one data point at a time.

Fun Fact: Waugh’s first 49ers stint (2004–2022) spanned three stadiums. If that ain’t institutional memory, what is?