Lynch’s playing career started at Stanford University where he played strong safety. He had an impressive career at Stanford, earning First-Team All-American honors in 1992 and 1993. Lynch was also a standout baseball player during his time at Stanford, being named an All-American and earning a spot on the U.S. National Baseball Team in 1992.

After graduating from Stanford, Lynch was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft. Lynch played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1993 to 2003 where he was a key player in their dominant defense, helping them win Super Bowl XXXVII in 2002. He was selected to the Pro Bowl nine times and was named an All-Pro twice during his career.

After retiring as a player, Lynch transitioned into a career in broadcasting. He worked as a commentator for Fox Sports, providing color commentary for NFL games. In 2017, Lynch was hired as the General Manager of the San Francisco 49ers.

As the General Manager of the 49ers, Lynch has been credited with helping to rebuild the team and leading them to success. Under his leadership, the 49ers reached the Super Bowl in 2019 and 2023 and the NFC Championship Game in 2021 and 2022. He was named Executive of the Year in 2019.

Off the field, Lynch is known for his philanthropy work. He and his wife Linda started the John Lynch Foundation, which is committed to inspiring young people to become leaders through scholarship, sport participation and community involvement. Read Less ^