SANTA CLARA — Amid the upbeat camaraderie of Kyle Shanahan’s debut as 49ers head coach on Thursday came one solid nugget of news: Martin Mayhew is joining the team as senior personnel executive.

Mayhew was general manager of the Detroit Lions from 2008 through 2015.

“I wanted a guy who’s been in the seat I’m in right now,” new 49ers GM John Lynch said. “He’s the guy who drafted (quarterback) Matthew Stafford. He’s the guy who drafted (defensivel linemen) Ndamukong Suh and Ziggy Ansah. I mean, he drafted some guys.”

Lynch and Mayhew have a long association. They played together in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers secondary from 1993-96.

“He was one of my mentors,” Lynch said. “And one thing, a recurring theme I keep hearing from people is get people you trust, and get people you know have your back. Martin’s motivation in purely to be here to help us win, to help me in some of the places where I’ve got some ground to gain. And as I said, surrounding yourself with people who have been there before is a smart thing to do, and I felt that he fit that bill perfectly.”

Mayhew spent the 2016 season as the New York Giants’ director of football operations. Lynch previously hired Adam Peters as vice president of player personnel.

Lynch also divulged Thursday that he will have final say when it comes to free agency, the draft and the 49ers’ 90-man (training camp) roster, while Shanahan will be in charge of the 53-man active roster.

You can reach staff writer Phil Barber at 707-521-5263 or phil.barber@pressdemocrat.com. Follow him on Twitter: @Skinny_Post.

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