After 15 seasons in the NFL, former Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety John Lynch is calling it a career.
The nine-time Pro Bowler will hold a retirement press conference from Tampa, Fla. on Monday at 1:00 p.m. MST.
In his 15 seasons with the Buccaneers (1993-2003) and Broncos (2004-07), Lynch racked up 1,277 tackles, intercepted 26 passes, grabbed 13 sacks, broke up 100 passes, forced 16 fumbles and built a well-deserved reputation as one of the most devastating hitters of his era.
Lynch was voted to the Pro Bowl all four years he spent in Denver, and he won a Super Bowl in Tampa Bay. His nine Pro Bowls are tied for second in NFL history for a safety. He left Denver after the first week of training camp this season.
“I felt like I owed it to him to look at his options, if it is football, if its retirement — whatever he wants to do because he has given me everything he could give in the four years he’ s been here,” Head Coach Mike Shanahan said at the time. “If the guy is not happy, doesn’t feel right — then I am going to give him the opportunity to do what feels right for his future.”
Lynch didn’t bring a Super Bowl to Denver, one of his main goals when he became a Bronco, but he certainly made the team better both on and off the field when he donned the orange and blue.
“When I came here I looked (Shanahan) in the eye and told him we were going to win and championship and we didn’t get that done,” Lynch said. “I am sorry for that, but I also looked him in the eye and told him I gave it everything I could in terms of trying to do that.”
DenverBroncos.com will have coverage of the press conference on Monday.
-Gray Caldwell, DenverBroncos.com
