NFL HOF Spotlight: John Lynch

In this NFL Hall of Fame spotlight, we take the lights to the quarters of a hard-hitting safety—John Lynch. Lynch spent 15 years in the league, playing 11 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and four with the Denver Broncos. During his playing days, he created many goosebumps-inducing moments that will forever be remembered.

Let’s dive into why his call-up to the Hall of Fame was inevitable.

The Rise to a Football Career That Almost Never Was

It’s incredible when you realize that Lynch’s awesome football legacy almost never happened. While in high school, he excelled in football, baseball, and basketball. At Stanford University, it was just football and baseball.

In the second round of the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft, the Florida Marlins picked Lynch. The Illinois-born man was well on his way out before Bill Walsh, the head coach of Stanford’s football team, convinced him otherwise.

Lynch returned for his senior season, and in the 1993 NFL Draft, the Bucs selected him in the third round (82nd overall).

Professional Football Career

His rookie season started with special teams duties. He enjoyed only four starts, but his performances were fairly decent. The story was pretty much the same in his second season—only that this time, he didn’t start any games.

But, Lynch was an important member of the team. He did his job—tackling, forcing fumbles, and providing his team an extra lifeline on defense. For Lynch’s position, there was always strong competition. However, every time he was on the gridiron, he made himself a strong defensive presence. It was only a matter of time before he earned a starting role.

After Todd Scott tore his Achilles tendon in 1996, the coach turned to Lynch as the starting strong safety. Lynch, of course, didn’t disappoint. From then on, his starting place was secure because he always gave a hundred percent.

The honors started to pour in for Lynch after his excellent performance in the 1997 season. He earned his first Pro Bowl selection. But beyond that, he had become a feared safety, known for his punishing tackles.

Hits, Hits, And More Hits

Lynch’s ferocious hits earned him a reputation. Wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends had become wary of him. For Lynch, hitting was the name of the game, and he was a master at it. Perhaps one of the most poetic of all of Lynch’s hits was in the 1997 game against the Chicago Bears. Lynch nearly knocked out Bears tight end John Allred. What made it even funnier was that Lynch was married to Allred’s sister.

In a 1997 NFC wild-card playoff game, Barry Sanders made one of his signature cutbacks, aiming for a big run. But the Detroit Lions running back was about to receive the shock of his life. Lynch stepped up and delivered a crunching hit that dropped Sanders to the turf. Later, Sanders admitted that it was the hardest he’d ever been hit with the ball.

While in Broncos colors in 2006, Lynch had quite the Christmas present for Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer. With the ball at the Broncos’ 18-yard line, Palmer threw a fade to wide receiver Chris Henry. As Henry seemed to make the catch at the goal line, Lynch came out of nowhere, delivering a blow that sent Henry flying in all directions.

But beyond hits, Lynch was also a specialist at interceptions. His reading of the game was brilliant, and he was mostly right about what his opponent would do next. Throughout his career, he made many crucial interceptions. One of the more thrilling ones came in a 1999 division playoff game against the Washington Redskins. The Bucs were struggling, down 13-0 in the third quarter. They needed something–anything to turn the tide. Lynch came to the rescue and provided that spark. He intercepted a pass from Brad Johnson, giving the Bucs a much-needed boost. Energized by the play, they came back with two touchdowns and secured an electrifying 14-13 win.

Super Bowl Ring

Winning a Super Bowl presents insane bragging rights for any football player. With Lynch, it’s no different. His incredible 2002 season ended on a high. He was a major contributor to the Bucs’ finishing as the league’s number one-ranked defense. But the team going all the way to the Super Bowl XXXVII made that period even more amazing. For the Bucs as a team, it was their first-ever Super Bowl appearance, adding to the game’s significance. The Bucs battled it out with the Oakland Raiders, right from the game’s first kick. It was never going to be a walk in the park—especially considering that the Raiders’ offense ranked number one in the league that season. However, Lynch and his teammates came out victorious, defeating the Raiders by a score of 48-21. He did his bit by registering one tackle in the game.

Denver Broncos

Salary cap regulations weren’t so kind to Tampa Bay in 2004 so they had to release Lynch to maneuver the situation. The Broncos then signed Lynch as an unrestricted free agent. Lynch showed his leadership in the team, serving as the defensive captain in 2006 and 2007.

He left the Broncos in 2008 and agreed a deal with the New England Patriots. However, he decided that it was time to call it quits. Lynch retired in 2008 after a wholesome 15 years in the NFL. He recorded impressive statistics, which include 1,059 total tackles and 26 interceptions.

Career Accolades

Lynch’s career was nothing short of admirable. He left a legacy that cannot be forgotten in a hurry—and he received many honors for it. 

Though ferocious when tackling, he is a man of strong character and leadership. The Bart Starr Award he received in 2007 was a testament to that.

Lynch won a Super Bowl, earned nine Pro Bowl invitations, and was named First-team All-Pro twice and Second-team All-Pro twice.

Lynch is an inductee of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ring of Honor and the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame. He continued his success off the field, earning the 2019 PFWA Executive of the Year award for his front-office achievements.

Lynch was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.

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