Jim Lynch
Encyclopedia
James Robert Lynch is a former American football
linebacker
who spent his entire eleven-year professional career (1967–1977) with the American Football League
and National Football League
Kansas City Chiefs
.
in Lima, Ohio and the University of Notre Dame
. He led Notre Dame in tackles
in 1965 with 108 and in 1966 with 106. He was the defensive captain
of the 1966 National Champion Fighting Irish team
. Lynch also won the Maxwell Award
as the nation's best college football player in 1966.
throughout that same 1967-77 span and left outside linebacker Bobby Bell
from 1967 to 1974, both "pro football" Hall of Famers. These linebackers
were important elements to lead the Chiefs' defense in their 1969 championship season
, en route to winning their first and only AFL-NFL World Championship (Super Bowl IV)
.
Lynch finished his career with 17 interceptions
and 14 fumble
recoveries. He scored 1 touchdown
and was selected to play in the 1968 AFL All-Star Game. In 1990, Lynch was inducted into the Chiefs' Hall of Fame.
documentary America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions
chronicling the 1969 Kansas City Chiefs AFL and World Championship season
.
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in 1992.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
who spent his entire eleven-year professional career (1967–1977) with the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
and National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
.
Early years
Lynch attended Lima Central Catholic High SchoolLima Central Catholic High School
Lima Central Catholic High School is located in Lima Ohio. LCC, short for Lima Central Catholic, is a private, parochial school with the capacity to hold over six-hundred and fifty students. Enrollment has remained around four-hundred students for a number of years. It is part of the Roman...
in Lima, Ohio and the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. He led Notre Dame in tackles
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
in 1965 with 108 and in 1966 with 106. He was the defensive captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
of the 1966 National Champion Fighting Irish team
1966 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 1966 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame during the 1966 college football season. The Irish, coached by Ara Parseghian, ended the season undefeated with 9 wins and one tie, winning the national championship...
. Lynch also won the Maxwell Award
Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
as the nation's best college football player in 1966.
Chief career
From 1967 to 1977, Lynch was a very fine right outside linebacker who could stop the run and defend the pass well, playing alongside middle linebacker Willie LanierWillie Lanier
Willie Edward Lanier is a former American football middle-linebacker who played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1967 through 1977. He won postseason honors for eight consecutive years, making the American Football League All-Star team in 1968 and 1969 before being selected to the Pro Bowl from...
throughout that same 1967-77 span and left outside linebacker Bobby Bell
Bobby Bell
Bobby Lee Bell, Sr is a former professional American football linebacker/defensive end. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame, and was a member of the Chiefs' team that won Super Bowl IV against the Minnesota Vikings.- High school career :He excelled in...
from 1967 to 1974, both "pro football" Hall of Famers. These linebackers
were important elements to lead the Chiefs' defense in their 1969 championship season
1969 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1969 Kansas City Chiefs season resulted in a 11–3 record and a 23–7 victory in Super Bowl IV over the NFL’s heavily-favored Minnesota Vikings. The team beat their rivals, the Oakland Raiders in the final AFL Championship Game, claiming their third AFL Championship in franchise history...
, en route to winning their first and only AFL-NFL World Championship (Super Bowl IV)
Super Bowl IV
Super Bowl IV was the fourth AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, and the second one to officially bear the name "Super Bowl"...
.
Lynch finished his career with 17 interceptions
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
and 14 fumble
Fumble
A fumble in American and Canadian football occurs when a player, who has possession and control of the ball loses it before being downed or scoring. By rule, it is any act other than passing, kicking or successful handing that results in loss of player possession...
recoveries. He scored 1 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
and was selected to play in the 1968 AFL All-Star Game. In 1990, Lynch was inducted into the Chiefs' Hall of Fame.
After football
In 2006, Lynch was interviewed for the NFL NetworkNFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
documentary America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions
America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions
America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions is an annual documentary series created by NFL Films . Its 45 installments profile the first 45 winning teams of the National Football League's annual Super Bowl championship game; each episode chronicles an individual team.A spin-off debuted on September...
chronicling the 1969 Kansas City Chiefs AFL and World Championship season
1969 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1969 Kansas City Chiefs season resulted in a 11–3 record and a 23–7 victory in Super Bowl IV over the NFL’s heavily-favored Minnesota Vikings. The team beat their rivals, the Oakland Raiders in the final AFL Championship Game, claiming their third AFL Championship in franchise history...
.
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1992.