John Lynch: one of the best

When Tampa released John Lynch in 2003, hundreds, if not thousands, joined him at Clearwater beach. The only thing saltier than the Gulf of Mexico; were the tears of a broken-hearted player and the fan’s feelings towards the organization for tossing one of their most favorite players to the curb like a stack of used newspapers.

Lynch loved sports. He played various versions of them throughout his youth while standing out in two specifically: Baseball and Football. He continually stood out in those two sports throughout his collegiate years at Stanford University. One of the hardest-hitting safeties in NFL history started as a backup quarterback under Dennis – They were who we thought they were – Green, but soon made the move to safety. He wrapped up his college football career under Bill Walsh.

The star athlete was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the second round of the 1992 MLB draft and was set to begin his pitching career. However, Standford’s head coach Bill Walsh easily talked Lynch out of playing professional baseball and rejoining the football team for one more season. He then entered the 1993 NFL Draft.

Funny side note.

We have all heard the Bo Jackson story. We have all heard how he was drafted by the Buccaneers in the 80s. Wait, you haven’t? Well, in 1986, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Auburn’s two-sport hero with the first pick overall, but due to some funny business — that I don’t want to get into — Jackson opted to play his other passion: Baseball. After leaving the NFL and being drafted by the Kanas City Royals in the 4th round of the ’86 MLB draft, Culverhouse was done with drafting two-sport players.

John Lynch almost never put on a Buccaneer uniform.

Lynch’s draft stock was pretty high — in the beginning — but due to beliefs that Lynch would not leave Major League Baseball; and was only seeking to drive up his value, his stock began slipping. No one was going to touch Lynch with a 10-foot pole, or were they? Lynch was almost a first-round pick for the Green Bay Packers. The Packers were in talks with Lynch, and it was virtually agreed that he would play for them and leave baseball if drafted, but it never happened. They passed on him.

As the first two rounds went on and more and more teams were passing on Lynch, his former head coach, Bill Walsh, got on the phone and called Sam Wyche; before their third-round selection. Walsh told Wyche that Lynch wants to play football and to draft him now. Buccaneers head coach Sam Wyche, who attributes his desire to coach to Bill Walsh, took the advice. But it wasn’t that simple.

Hugh Culverhouse was not interested in drafting any more two-sport players, and Wyche had to persuade one of the most stubborn men in Buccaneers history into taking a chance on the Standford standout. We all know how that turned out.

A special player

Lynch began his NFL career on special teams but eventually earned the starting role as a safety. He started in four games; however, being a starter was short-lived, and he was demoted to a backup. It wasn’t until two years later, in 1995, that Lynch would see another start. He started in six games that season, recording three interceptions. That was enough for Lynch to earn the starting role. A role he never gave up.

Lynch became a household name among Tampa fans as one of the hardest-hitting safeties, and boy could he hit. Players such as Barry Sanders and Marshall Faulk will attest to that.

All-Pro and Super Bowl Champion

During his 15 seasons in the NFL, 11 with Tampa and four short seasons with the Denver Broncos, Lynch went to 9 Pro Bowls, ranked 5th in franchise history for solo tackles witch 541, sixth in franchise history for interceptions with 23, and seventh in franchise history for pass defends with 42. The 3-time First-Team All-Pro, Super Bowl Champion finished his career in 2007 with 1,059 tackles with 727 of them solo, 26 interceptions, 16 forced fumbles, 9 fumble recoveries, 68 pass defends and knocking the hell out of some the greatest players in the history of the game.

John Lynch will officially be inducted into Canton Sunday (8/8/2021) and forever be immortalized as one of the greatest to-ever-do-it!