John Lynch

Born September 25, 1971, in Hinsdale, Illinois, John Terrence Lynch Jr. attended Torrey Pines High School in San Diego where he excelled in football, baseball, and basketball. Stanford University recruited him to play quarterback beginning in 1989, but after losing the starting competition entering his junior season, Lynch focused on pitching for Stanford's baseball team. The Florida Marlins drafted him in the second round (66th overall) of the 1992 Major League Baseball draft as a right-handed pitcher, and he threw the first pitch in the organization's history.

When Bill Walsh became Stanford's head coach in January 1992, he convinced Lynch to return to football. Walsh moved him to free safety for his senior season, where Lynch recorded 76 combined tackles, four interceptions, and a 62-yard interception return touchdown, helping Stanford achieve a 10-3 record and finish ranked ninth nationally.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Lynch in the third round (82nd overall) of the 1993 NFL draft after Walsh personally called head coach Sam Wyche to vouch for Lynch's commitment to football over baseball. Lynch earned the starting strong safety position in 1995 and had his breakout performance against Minnesota, collecting eleven combined tackles, deflecting two passes, and intercepting two passes from Warren Moon—crediting his success to knowing Vikings head coach Dennis Green's tendencies from playing under him at Stanford.

Head coach Tony Dungy and defensive coordinator Monte K…