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John Lynch (American football)
Encyclopedia
John Terrence Lynch, Jr. (born September 25, 1971) is a former National Football League
strong safety and current NFL on Fox
color commentator. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Stanford
.
A nine-time Pro Bowl
selection, Lynch earned a Super Bowl ring
with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII
. He also spent time with the Denver Broncos
and New England Patriots
before retiring as a free agent
during the 2008 season
. He was ranked #10 as the most feared tackler in NFL history, on the NFL Films
production "Top 10 Most Feared Tacklers", for the NFL Network
.
, Illinois
. He attended Torrey Pines High School
in the Carmel Valley/Del Mar area of San Diego, California
, where he also played baseball and basketball.
. While there he was a member of Delta Tau Delta
fraternity.
by the Florida Marlins
the second round (66th overall) of the 1992 amateur draft. He threw the first pitch in the organization's history as a member of the Erie Sailors
, which was a 95 mph ball. His jersey is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. He played two seasons in the minor leagues with the Sailors and Kane County Cougars
, starting nine games and going 1–3 with a 2.36 earned run average
.
He roomed with Edgar Renteria according to the Oct. 31 broadcast of the Oakland Raiders versus Seattle Seahawks, which Lynch acts as a broadcaster for.
in the third round (82nd pick overall) of the 1993 NFL Draft. Lynch played his first 11 seasons in the league with the Buccaneers.
In 2002, Lynch collected a Super Bowl ring in Super Bowl XXXVII with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in San Diego. He was the first player to wear a microphone in the Super Bowl.
Lynch was released by the Buccaneers following the 2003 season for salary cap
reasons.
prior to the 2004 season, despite being courted by the New England Patriots.
In the 2005 season, John 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.
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.
in the broadcasting booth as a color commentator
. He was paired with Chris Rose
. His first game covered was the week 12, November 23, 2008, match-up of the Minnesota Vikings at the Jacksonville Jaguars. He now does commentary alongside Ron Pitts
and Dick Stockton
.
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...
strong safety and current NFL on Fox
NFL on FOX
NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports...
color commentator. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft
1993 NFL Draft
The 1993 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 25-26, 1993...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Stanford
Stanford Cardinal football
The Stanford Cardinal football program represents Stanford University in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is a member of the Pac-12 Conference's North Division. Stanford, the top-ranked academic institution with an FBS program, has a highly successful football tradition. The...
.
A nine-time Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection, Lynch earned a Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
with the Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
. He also spent time with the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
before retiring as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
during the 2008 season
2008 NFL season
The 2008 NFL season was the 89th regular season of the National Football League, themed with the slogan "Believe in Now."Super Bowl XLIII, the league's championship game, was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming out victorious over the...
. He was ranked #10 as the most feared tackler in NFL history, on the NFL Films
NFL Films
NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...
production "Top 10 Most Feared Tacklers", for the NFL Network
NFL 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...
.
Early years
Lynch was born in HinsdaleHinsdale, Illinois
Hinsdale is a suburb of Chicago, Illinois; it is located partly in Cook County and mainly in DuPage County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 17,349 at the 2000 census. The town's ZIP code is 60521. The town has a rolling, wooded topography, with a quaint downtown and is a 30-minute...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. He attended Torrey Pines High School
Torrey Pines High School
Torrey Pines High School is a high school in the North County Coastal area of San Diego, California. The school is named after the Torrey Pine tree that grows in the area...
in the Carmel Valley/Del Mar area of San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, where he also played baseball and basketball.
College career
Lynch starred in baseball and football at Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. While there he was a member of Delta Tau Delta
Delta Tau Delta
Delta Tau Delta is a U.S.-based international secret letter college fraternity. Delta Tau Delta was founded in 1858 at Bethany College, Bethany, Virginia, . It currently has around 125 student chapters nationwide, as well as more than 25 regional alumni groups. Its national community service...
fraternity.
Baseball career
Lynch was drafted as a right handed pitcherPitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
by the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
the second round (66th overall) of the 1992 amateur draft. He threw the first pitch in the organization's history as a member of the Erie Sailors
Erie Sailors
The Erie Sailors was the name of several minor league baseball teams that played in Erie, Pennsylvania between 1906 and 1994.-Pre-1930s:Several unrelated teams used the Erie Sailors name in the Interstate League , the Ohio-Pennsylvania League , and the Central League .-1938-1963:During these years,...
, which was a 95 mph ball. His jersey is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. He played two seasons in the minor leagues with the Sailors and Kane County Cougars
Kane County Cougars
The Kane County Cougars are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Kansas City Royals, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home games are played in Geneva, Illinois, about 35 miles west of Chicago....
, starting nine games and going 1–3 with a 2.36 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
.
He roomed with Edgar Renteria according to the Oct. 31 broadcast of the Oakland Raiders versus Seattle Seahawks, which Lynch acts as a broadcaster for.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Lynch was drafted by the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in the third round (82nd pick overall) of the 1993 NFL Draft. Lynch played his first 11 seasons in the league with the Buccaneers.
In 2002, Lynch collected a Super Bowl ring in Super Bowl XXXVII with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in San Diego. He was the first player to wear a microphone in the Super Bowl.
Lynch was released by the Buccaneers following the 2003 season for salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
reasons.
Denver Broncos
Lynch signed a free agent contract with the Denver BroncosDenver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
prior to the 2004 season, despite being courted by the New England Patriots.
In the 2005 season, John Lynch nearly made his second Super Bowl
Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
, but the Broncos lost to the Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the AFC Championship Game
AFC Championship Game
The American Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the American...
.
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.
New England Patriots
Lynch visited with the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
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
On November 17, 2008, while in Tampa, Lynch officially announced his retirement from football and six days later he joined NFL on FoxNFL on FOX
NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports...
in the broadcasting booth as a color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
. He was paired with Chris Rose
Chris Rose
Christopher Rose is an American sportscaster.-Early life and career:Rose attended University School in Hunting Valley during high school. Rose attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and graduated in 1993...
. His first game covered was the week 12, November 23, 2008, match-up of the Minnesota Vikings at the Jacksonville Jaguars. He now does commentary alongside Ron Pitts
Ron Pitts
Ronald Dwayne Pitts is a former professional American football player. He played defensive back for the Buffalo Bills and the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins.Pitts was drafted by the Bills in the...
and Dick Stockton
Dick Stockton
Dick Stockton is an American sportscaster. He is currently employed by Fox Sports and Turner Sports as a football, baseball, and basketball play-by-play announcer.-Early life and career:...
.