One of the hardest and most-feared hitters in Stanford history, John Lynch was a first team All-Pac-10 selection and earned second team All-America honors in 1992 after helping Stanford to a 10-3 record and a victory over Penn State in the Blockbuster Bowl. Originally recruited to Stanford as a quarterback, Lynch transitioned to safety prior to the start of the 1991 season and immediately moved into the starting lineup. He blossomed into one of the top defensive backs in the nation as a senior in 1992, earning second team All-America marks after leading the Cardinal in total tackles with 76, as Stanford finished the season ranked ninth nationally under head coach Bill Walsh.

A third round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1993, Lynch played 15 seasons in the NFL with the Buccaneers (1993-2003) and Denver Broncos (2004-07). A nine-time Pro Bowl selection, Lynch earned a Super Bowl ring with Tampa Bay in Super Bowl XXXVII. He was ranked as the #10 most feared tackler in NFL history in a production by NFL Films for the NFL Network.

An outstanding two-sport athlete, Lynch also played baseball at Stanford. He was a member of Stanford’s 1990 College World Series team as a designated hitter and pitcher. His first collegiate at bat resulted in a two-run home run that caromed off the Sunken Diamond scoreboard in a January 31st game against USF. He was drafted as a pitcher by the Florida Marlins in the second round (66th overall) of the 1992 amateur draft and threw the first pitch in the organization’s history as a member of the Erie Sailors. Lynch played two seasons in the minor leagues with the Sailors and Kane County Cougars before turning his full-time attention to football.