The Broncos will have two ex-players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021 after safety John Lynch was elected to Canton in his eighth time as a finalist.
Lynch joins first-ballot selection Peyton Manning as the 12th and 13th ex-Broncos to gain induction into Canton this year. Lynch also joins another Denver safety in Canton in Steve Atwater, who was elected last year.
“This is a special day for the Denver Broncos and our fans as we celebrate the selection of two former players— Peyton Manning and John Lynch — to the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Broncos president Joe Ellis said in a statement. “We’re grateful that Peyton and John chose to spend the final four years of their careers right here in Denver, where they both made a profound impact on the Broncos and our community.”
Lynch played his first 11 years in Tampa Bay before finishing with four Pro Bowl years in Denver. The hard-hitting defensive back had 26 career interceptions, nine total Pro Bowl appearances and two All-Pro selections with the Buccaneers, for whom he was a pivotal part of the 2002 Super Bowl championship team. He might have been in Tampa Bay for his entire career, but the Buccaneers elected to go a different direction to save money, leading Lynch to sign with Denver ahead of 2004.
“I want to thank all my teammates of all the great teams I’ve had the pleasure and the honor to play for, going back to Torrey Pines High School (in California) and Stanford University,” Lynch said in a Twitter post. “And (my success) goes back to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.. I played 11 years here and we went from the ‘yuks’ to world champs. Then the Denver Broncos accepted me … and (coach) Mike Shanahan believed in me.”
“I’m humbled and I’m honored.”
The Stanford product and Hinsdale, Ill., native was originally selected by the Buccaneers in the third round (No. 82 overall) of the 1993 draft. He accumulated 1,059 career tackles, 68 passes defensed and 16 forced fumbles. He played all 16 games in six of his seasons and at least 14 games in 12 of his seasons.
The 49-year-old is tied for second among safeties in league history in Pro Bowl selections — only Ken Houston of Houston/Washington has more. Brian Dawkins and Ed Reed are each tied with Lynch’s nine selections for second. Those three players are already enshrined.
In 2006, Lynch was presented with the Bart Starr Award, which recognizes a player who shows outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community.
After retiring following the 2007 season, Lynch served as a color analyst for FOX Sports from 2009-16 before the 49ers hired him as their general manager in February of 2017. Under Lynch’s guidance, San Francisco went to the Super Bowl last season before losing to the Chiefs, and he was named 2019 Executive of the Year by the Pro Football Writers of America.
While Lynch’s election comes as somewhat of a surprise this year — especially considering the strength of the first-ballot candidates led by Manning, cornerback Charles Woodson and wide receiver Calvin Johnson — it was also somewhat of an inevitability considering his history as a finalist. Including Lynch, 10 players in league history have been named finalists at least eight consecutive years, with only one player yet to be enshrined from that group.
Lynch, who learned of his election two weeks ago, joins Houston plus ex-Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey as well as Reggie White, Willie Roaf and Tony Gonzalez as Hall of Fame players with four-plus Pro Bowls with multiple teams.
Lynch and Bailey were anchors of the Denver defense during the safety’s tenure with the Broncos. Denver ranked third in scoring defense in 2005 as the team went 13-3 and reached the AFC title game. Lynch is already induced into the Broncos’ Ring of Fame as well as Tampa Bay’s Ring of Honor.
