John Terrence Lynch Jr. (born September 25, 1971) is a former American football strong safety and the current general manager of the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Stanford University, and was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft.
A nine-time Pro Bowl selection, Lynch earned a Super Bowl ring with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII. He also spent four seasons with the Denver Broncos before retiring in 2008. After the end of his playing career, Lynch worked in the broadcasting booth as a color commentator for NFL on Fox games, and remained doing so until his hiring as the general manager of the 49ers in 2017.
Early years
Lynch was born in Hinsdale, Illinois. He attended Torrey Pines High School in the Carmel Valley/Del Mar area of San Diego, California, where he played football, baseball and basketball.
College career
Lynch starred in baseball and football at Stanford University, where he was coached by NFL Hall Of Fame Inductee Bill Walsh.
Baseball career
Lynch was drafted as a right-handed pitcher by the Florida Marlins in the second round (66th overall) of the 1992 Major League Baseball draft. He threw the first pitch in the organization's history as a member of the Erie Sailors; thus, his jersey with the Sailors is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. He played two seasons in the minor leagues with the Sailors and the Kane County Cougars, starting nine games and going 1â€"3 with a 2.35 earned run average.
Football career
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Lynch was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round (82nd pick overall) of the 1993 NFL Draft. Lynch played his first 11 seasons in the league with the Buccaneers. When he arrived, the Buccaneers were among the worst teams in the league; his first three years were the last of a record stretch of 10-loss seasons. However, he was a key player on the aggressive Tampa 2 defenses of the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 2002, Lynch collected a Super Bowl ring in Super Bowl XXXVII with the Bucs.
Lynch was released by the Buccaneers following the 2003 season for salary cap reasons.
Denver Broncos
Lynch signed a free agent contract with the Denver Broncos prior to the 2004 season, despite being courted by the New England Patriots.
In the 2005 season, Lynch nearly made his second Super Bowl, but the Broncos lost to the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game.
He served as the Broncos defensive captain in 2006 and 2007. On July 31, 2008, Lynch was granted his release by the Broncos. Lynch said in a news conference that his lack of playing time heading into this season was a reason for his departure.
Lynch was officially inducted into the Broncos Ring of Fame in a ceremony at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in October 2016.
Lynch was officially inducted into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor in a ceremony at Raymond James Stadium in November 2016.
New England Patriots
Lynch visited with the New England Patriots on August 13, 2008, then agreed to a 1-year deal worth $1.5 million. However, on September 1, 2008, Lynch was released from the team.
Retirement and broadcasting career
On November 17, 2008, Lynch officially announced his retirement from football. Six days later, he joined NFL on Fox in the broadcasting booth as a color commentator, and was paired with Chris Rose and Kevin Burkhardt.
San Francisco 49ers
On January 29, 2017, Lynch was named the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers.
NFL statistics
Personal life
Lynch is married to Linda, older sister of his close friend and former NFL tight end John Allred. He and Allred had a run-in during a 1997 NFL game that resulted in Allred almost getting knocked out from a hit.
References
External links
- John Lynch Foundation