John Lynch set to retire on Monday...one of the all time greats. (1 Viewer)

[Ministry of Pain]

Schefter reporting



He was one of my favorites, got the pleasure of meeting him when he was in Tampa Bay. He was part of the biggest turnarounds of a franchise in the history of the NFL. He was drafted around the same time as Brooks, Sapp, Alstott, Barber...he might have been in the league a couple more years than those guys.

9 pro bowls, and the SUper bowl ring will likely get him into the HoF.

 

[EBF]

He was good, but his younger brother Marshawn is a better athlete IMO.

 

[massraider]

9 pro bowls, and the SUper bowl ring will likely get him into the HoF.

Probably, which is too bad.

 

[jbz]

agreed. not what I think of when the HOF is brought up. Same with Alstott.

 

[buster c]

more appropriate for the Hall of the Very Good

pro bowls are popularity contests

 

[rockalum]

Schefter reporting



He was one of my favorites, got the pleasure of meeting him when he was in Tampa Bay. He was part of the biggest turnarounds of a franchise in the history of the NFL. He was drafted around the same time as Brooks, Sapp, Alstott, Barber...he might have been in the league a couple more years than those guys.

9 pro bowls, and the SUper bowl ring will likely get him into the HoF.

really? considering there is only 1 or 2 safeties in the HofF?

 

[RBM]

Possibly one of the most overrated players of this generation.

 

[Tau837]

Possibly one of the most overrated players of this generation.

Does not deserve to make the HOF. Unfortunately, I think he probably will.

 

[prosopis]

Possibly one of the most overrated players of this generation.

He was one of the best safetys ever. No one hit harder.

 

[RBM]

Possibly one of the most overrated players of this generation.

He was one of the best safetys ever. No one hit harder.

Plenty of guys hit harderAnd thats not what makes safeties great anyway.

 

[Tau837]

Possibly one of the most overrated players of this generation.

He was one of the best safetys ever. No one hit harder.

Old post on safeties that played with Lynch:

Comparing Harrison and some of his contemporaries:

Steve Atwater - retired after 1999 season:

167 games

1180 tackles

5 sacks

24 interceptions

94 passes defensed

12 forced fumbles

8 fumble recoveries

1 TD

2 First Team All Pro selections

8 Pro Bowls

Selected for 1990s All Decade team

His teams played 14 postseason games, with a record of 10-4, including 2-1 in Super Bowls

My take: Played fewest games of this group, which holds his numbers down somewhat. Still, great tackle numbers, a lot of Pro Bowls, and 2 rings. I'd say he is a bubble candidate, and given that DBs are somewhat underrepresented in the HOF, I'd probably put him in.

Leroy Butler - retired after 2001 season:

181 games

890 tackles

20.5 sacks

38 interceptions

130 passes defensed

13 forced fumbles

10 fumble recoveries

3 TDs

4 First Team All Pro selections

4 Pro Bowls

Selected for 1990s All Decade team

His teams played 16 postseason games, with a record of 10-6, including 1-1 in Super Bowls

My take: Should be in the HOF. Excellent pass defender with solid numbers elsewhere, a ring, and 4 first team All Pro selections.

Carnell Lake - retired after 2001:

185 games

819 tackles

25 sacks

16 interceptions

101 passes defensed

15 forced fumbles

17 fumble recoveries

3 TDs

2 First Team All Pro selections

5 Pro Bowls

Selected for 1990s All Decade team

His teams played 17 postseason games, with a record of 8-9, including 0-1 in Super Bowls

My take: Falls just short of deserving HOF consideration

Darren Woodson - retired after 2003:

178 games

940 tackles

11 sacks

23 interceptions

83 passes defensed

13 forced fumbles

11 fumble recoveries

2 TDs

3 First Team All Pro selections

5 Pro Bowls

His teams played 16 postseason games, with a record of 11-5, including 3-0 in Super Bowls

My take: Postseason record helps, but falls just short of deserving HOF consideration.

Rodney Harrison - done?:

186 games

1205 tackles

30.5 sacks - most by a defensive back in NFL history

34 interceptions

116 passes defensed

16 forced fumbles

9 fumble recoveries

4 TDs (including 2 kick return TDs)

2 First Team All Pro selections

2 Pro Bowls

His teams played 12 postseason games to date, with a record of 11-4, including 2-2 in Super Bowls (not counting New England's 2-1 2006 postseason, since Harrison didn't play)

My take: HOFer. Probably would have more first team All Pro and Pro Bowl selections if he was not so disliked. Played in a lot of postseason games, including 4 Super Bowls, and played well. Most sacks in history by a DB, and the only DB in the 30/30 club, and just an unbelievable tackle machine.

John Lynch - done?:

224 games

1058 tackles

13 sacks

26 interceptions

93 passes defensed

16 forced fumbles

9 fumble recoveries

0 TDs

2 First Team All Pro selections

9 Pro Bowls

His teams played 12 postseason games to date, with a record of 6-6, including 1-0 in Super Bowls

My take: Overrated compared to the rest of this group; even with amazing longevity he falls behind most of the others in most categories other than tackles and Pro Bowl selections; not HOF worthy.

Brian Dawkins - active:

173 games

880 tackles

20 sacks

33 interceptions

154 passes defensed

28 forced fumbles

16 fumble recoveries

4 TDs (includes 1 receiving TD)

4 First Team All Pro selections

6 Pro Bowls

His teams played 15 postseason games to date, with a record of 8-7, including 0-1 in Super Bowls

My take: Should be a HOFer... 4 first team All Pro selections is strong, to go along with strong numbers across the board.

Darren Sharper - active:

174 games

818 tackles

7 sacks

53 interceptions

114 passes defensed

9 forced fumbles

5 fumble recoveries

8 TDs

1 First Team All Pro selection

4 Pro Bowls

His teams played 10 postseason games, with a record of 4-6, including 0-1 in Super Bowls

My take: Good pass defender and took some to the house, but not HOF worthy.

So I'd put in Harrison, Atwater, Butler, and Dawkins but none of these others. IMO the jury is out on younger guys like Polamalu, Reed, et al. Someone mentioned Aeneas Williams earlier, and he should make the HOF IMO, but he played almost his entire career at CB.

 

[prosopis]

Possibly one of the most overrated players of this generation.

He was one of the best safetys ever. No one hit harder.

Plenty of guys hit harderAnd thats not what makes safeties great anyway.

Not "Plenty"

 

[big_donkey]

He could not cover ANYONE. Big hitter thats it.

 

[The Man With No Name]

I never thought of him as a great player while he was playing. Good, not great.

 

[shredhead]

Possibly one of the most overrated players of this generation.

He was one of the best safetys ever. No one hit harder.

Steve Atwater down?

 

[Vladislav Tretiak]

Possibly one of the most overrated players of this generation.

He was one of the best safetys ever. No one hit harder.

Maybe you heard of a guy named Ronnie Lott?

 

[prosopis]

Possibly one of the most overrated players of this generation.

He was one of the best safetys ever. No one hit harder.

Steve Atwater down?

He would be if Lynch hit him.

 

[Borat]

If Lynch gets into the HoF, he should be in line behind Brian Dawkins and Rodney Harrison, for starters.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Possibly one of the most overrated players of this generation.

He was one of the best safetys ever. No one hit harder.

Steve Atwater down?

He would be if Lynch hit him.

 

[gump]

Lot's of fond memories with Lynch here in Tampa.

Probably my favorite is when he knocked his BIL out cold (TE for the Bears). That made for some interesting holiday conversation I bet.

Great player, great person...former NFL Man of the Year.

Thanks for the memories (and the trophy), John!

 

[massraider]

Possibly one of the most overrated players of this generation.

He was one of the best safetys ever. No one hit harder.

He played in an era when safeties became more about coverage, and less about run support. So compared to some of his contemporaries, he was a big hitter.But off the top of my head, Ronnie Lott and Jack Tatum both hit harder, and more often, and could actually cover. Lynch got a lot of hype.

 

[prosopis]

Lot's of fond memories with Lynch here in Tampa.Probably my favorite is when he knocked his BIL out cold (TE for the Bears). That made for some interesting holiday conversation I bet.Great player, great person...former NFL Man of the Year.Thanks for the memories (and the trophy), John!

I remember that game.

 

[Gargoylez]

I think it was his personality, his persona that made him one of the greatest.

Yeah you can crap out all these stats and explain why this guy was better because he had X amount of tackles more, etc... But would you want Lynch as a teammate before ANY OF THESE GUYS listed?

I am not saying he is a hall of famer... in my eyes, absolutely, but in reality; history is not on his side. He was one of the hardest hitting safeties in the league and of all time PLEASE shut up about "plenty" hit harder, cuz you just make yourself look ignorant. Was he the hardest hitter... no... but he could lay wood with the best of them and THAT is undeniable.

He was a unique player in a league full of premadonna's... and I for one would chose him first to be my safety of an NFL team before anyone else... just by his demeanor, his dedication, and his heart.

The league lost one of the GOOD guys this time around, I for one will miss him, like I miss my boy Mike Alstott. I just hope some of the younger players can start filling the roles... making a difference not only on the field but in the community... in real life like Lynch did. It is a sad day.

 

[Capella]

Guy was a very good if not great player, one of the best human beings to play in the NFL and a benefit to the two communities he played in, but by reading this thread you'd think he was some ####head scab who couldn't cover David Dodds. Kind of odd he played for one of the best period defenses in NFL history, but whatever.

If that guy played in the 70s for the Steelers, people would still be sucking his #### today. Let's be honest.

 

[drdgreenlove]

Possibly one of the most overrated players of this generation.

He was one of the best safetys ever. No one hit harder.

2 Eagles in 1/2 second of thought hit harder- Brian DawkinsAndre WatersLynch is supremely overrated...

 

[moondog]

Schefter reporting



He was one of my favorites, got the pleasure of meeting him when he was in Tampa Bay. He was part of the biggest turnarounds of a franchise in the history of the NFL. He was drafted around the same time as Brooks, Sapp, Alstott, Barber...he might have been in the league a couple more years than those guys.

9 pro bowls, and the SUper bowl ring will likely get him into the HoF.

HOF - no chance.

 

[gump]

If that guy played in the 70s for the Steelers, people would still be sucking his #### today. Let's be honest.

Very Players from the 70's didn't have to worry about stats...it was all about rings and recognition. If the Bucs of the 90's played in the 70's...they'd have 6 HOF'ers.

 

[Ballstein]

carnell lake was a better player than lynch

 

[Dt's Mules]

nothing against the guy, but there were lots of very good (not great) safeties better than him..guys like darren woodson come to mind

very nice career though

 

[ICON211]

Good player, but vastly overrated. People that know nothing but what they see on Sportscenter will proclaim him to be an all time great because big hits make highlight reels, but an all time great he is not. Also, number of times on the All Pro team is a much better indicator of the caliber of player a guy was than number of pro bowls.

 

[Gargoylez]

Good player, but vastly overrated. People that know nothing but what they see on Sportscenter will proclaim him to be an all time great because big hits make highlight reels, but an all time great he is not. Also, number of times on the All Pro team is a much better indicator of the caliber of player a guy was than number of pro bowls.

Yet another poster who never watched him play... maybe EVER.Whatever, if someone wants to look things up and make a judgement without watching the player, then more power to them.

 

[Tau837]

Good player, but vastly overrated. People that know nothing but what they see on Sportscenter will proclaim him to be an all time great because big hits make highlight reels, but an all time great he is not. Also, number of times on the All Pro team is a much better indicator of the caliber of player a guy was than number of pro bowls.

Yet another poster who never watched him play... maybe EVER.Whatever, if someone wants to look things up and make a judgement without watching the player, then more power to them.

I watched him play a lot, and I am 100% certain that he is not HOF caliber. At least not unless all of Atwater, Butler, Harrison, and Dawkins get in ahead of him and there is still room for one more.

 

[Borat]

... and I for one would chose him first to be my safety of an NFL team before anyone else...

Really?

 

[candymanvandyfan]

Possibly one of the most overrated players of this generation.

He was one of the best safetys ever. No one hit harder.

Plenty of guys hit harderAnd thats not what makes safeties great anyway.

Probably one of the most overrated players in NFL history. Nobody got more fame out of late hits, cheap shots and quality sound bytes than Lynch. If he does get into the HOF, they should retire his mercury shoes. Getting there late on completed passes was always a Lynch trademark. He was always there for the media, though, after the game to say exactly the right things all the time. The reporters will miss his quotability.

 

[Capella]

Lot of bitterness in here.

 

[Tau837]

Lot of bitterness in here.

Why is it bitter if I don't think he wasn't a HOF player?

 

[Gargoylez]

Lot of bitterness in here.

Why is it bitter if I don't think he wasn't a HOF player?

I never thought he would be in the hall of fame... I wish he would go, but the odds are against him and YES his stats do not match up as well... and some voters rank stats very high.I just find it amazing the people who say "I watched him all the time!!!" I watched him when he was in ORANGISCLE jersey's... The guy was a GREAT safety. OVERRATED? How so... when was he OVERRATED? I find that halarious... its a word someone throws out to dismiss a player when they know of nothing more about them...LYNCH was a great safety. PERIOD. You can have your little fantasies that tell you he was this over rated lump of **** but in reality and off the ludes, he was the wall, the hammer and one of the smartest safeties on one of the best defenses ever to step foot on the football field and was one of the most respected players to ever dress.

 

[Tau837]

Lot of bitterness in here.

Why is it bitter if I don't think he wasn't a HOF player?

I never thought he would be in the hall of fame... I wish he would go, but the odds are against him and YES his stats do not match up as well... and some voters rank stats very high.I just find it amazing the people who say "I watched him all the time!!!" I watched him when he was in ORANGISCLE jersey's... The guy was a GREAT safety. OVERRATED? How so... when was he OVERRATED? I find that halarious... its a word someone throws out to dismiss a player when they know of nothing more about them...LYNCH was a great safety. PERIOD. You can have your little fantasies that tell you he was this over rated lump of **** but in reality and off the ludes, he was the wall, the hammer and one of the smartest safeties on one of the best defenses ever to step foot on the football field and was one of the most respected players to ever dress.

He's overrated because there are a lot of people out there like you who think he is HOF caliber. He didn't force or recover a lot of fumbles. He didn't sack the QB. He wasn't a great pass defender. He didn't even average 5 tackles per game. He was a great hitter. Period. That's it. There is nothing else about his game that comes close to other great safeties in his era. And it's not even clear that he was the best hitting safety of his era.Playing safety for 224 games in the NFL is a significant accomplishment, to go along with his strong hitting. But that's not enough to merit the HOF. Especially not when the HOF only has 9 modern era safeties to date, which means the bar is high. But more importantly, there are multiple other safeties not in the HOF who were better.But I guess that is all just my fantasy, since it doesn't agree with your opinion.

 

[gump]

He's overrated because there are a lot of people out there like you who think he is HOF caliber. He didn't force or recover a lot of fumbles. He didn't sack the QB. He wasn't a great pass defender. He didn't even average 5 tackles per game. He was a great hitter. Period. That's it.

He was the "quarterback" of one of the great defenses in NFL history. Obviously he did more than hit.

 

[Tau837]

He's overrated because there are a lot of people out there like you who think he is HOF caliber. He didn't force or recover a lot of fumbles. He didn't sack the QB. He wasn't a great pass defender. He didn't even average 5 tackles per game. He was a great hitter. Period. That's it.

Worst take of the day.He was a leader of one of the greatest defenses in NFL history. Obviously he did more than hit.

Fine, he was one of multiple leaders on a great defense. That doesn't change the substance of my post.I also think calling his Tampa Bay defense one of the greatest of all time is a stretch. They were the best defense in 2002, and they were a top 10 defense from roughly 1996 to 2005... but there are a lot of defenses in NFL history that were better.

 

[ffldrew]

IMO Steve Atwater was a better safety - but Steve was a quiet guy from Arkansas and didn't really reach out to the press, while John Lynch was from San Diego and Stanford who was always the goto guy for a quote the real talking machine, and since the writers are who get you in to the HOF I will not be surprised if Lynch makes it. But as a person who was in Mile High for

you would have a hard time convincing me Lynch was a harder hitter. Lynch was a good player as well - I just liked the way Steve Atwater quietly went about his business.

 

[sho nuff]

Possibly one of the most overrated players of this generation.

He was one of the best safetys ever. No one hit harder.

There is more to playing safety than coming in while someone has a guy wrapped up and hitting him hard.

 

[sho nuff]

Lot of bitterness in here.

Why is it bitter if I don't think he wasn't a HOF player?

I never thought he would be in the hall of fame... I wish he would go, but the odds are against him and YES his stats do not match up as well... and some voters rank stats very high.I just find it amazing the people who say "I watched him all the time!!!" I watched him when he was in ORANGISCLE jersey's... The guy was a GREAT safety. OVERRATED? How so... when was he OVERRATED? I find that halarious... its a word someone throws out to dismiss a player when they know of nothing more about them...LYNCH was a great safety. PERIOD. You can have your little fantasies that tell you he was this over rated lump of **** but in reality and off the ludes, he was the wall, the hammer and one of the smartest safeties on one of the best defenses ever to step foot on the football field and was one of the most respected players to ever dress.

He's overrated because there are a lot of people out there like you who think he is HOF caliber. He didn't force or recover a lot of fumbles. He didn't sack the QB. He wasn't a great pass defender. He didn't even average 5 tackles per game. He was a great hitter. Period. That's it. There is nothing else about his game that comes close to other great safeties in his era. And it's not even clear that he was the best hitting safety of his era.Playing safety for 224 games in the NFL is a significant accomplishment, to go along with his strong hitting. But that's not enough to merit the HOF. Especially not when the HOF only has 9 modern era safeties to date, which means the bar is high. But more importantly, there are multiple other safeties not in the HOF who were better.But I guess that is all just my fantasy, since it doesn't agree with your opinion.

 

[gump]

He's overrated because there are a lot of people out there like you who think he is HOF caliber. He didn't force or recover a lot of fumbles. He didn't sack the QB. He wasn't a great pass defender. He didn't even average 5 tackles per game. He was a great hitter. Period. That's it.

Worst take of the day.He was a leader of one of the greatest defenses in NFL history. Obviously he did more than hit.

Fine, he was one of multiple leaders on a great defense. That doesn't change the substance of my post.I also think calling his Tampa Bay defense one of the greatest of all time is a stretch. They were the best defense in 2002, and they were a top 10 defense from roughly 1996 to 2005... but there are a lot of defenses in NFL history that were better.

"Top 10" is a good way to describe the '99 Bucs D...the one that held perhaps the best offense in NFL history to 11 points on the turf in the NFCC.They were above average.

 

[Weapon of Mass Instruction]

I like him...but always thought he was overrated. Big hat, not many cattle.

 

[Tau837]

He's overrated because there are a lot of people out there like you who think he is HOF caliber. He didn't force or recover a lot of fumbles. He didn't sack the QB. He wasn't a great pass defender. He didn't even average 5 tackles per game. He was a great hitter. Period. That's it.

Worst take of the day.He was a leader of one of the greatest defenses in NFL history. Obviously he did more than hit.

Fine, he was one of multiple leaders on a great defense. That doesn't change the substance of my post.I also think calling his Tampa Bay defense one of the greatest of all time is a stretch. They were the best defense in 2002, and they were a top 10 defense from roughly 1996 to 2005... but there are a lot of defenses in NFL history that were better.

"Top 10" is a good way to describe the '99 Bucs D...the one that held perhaps the best offense in NFL history to 11 points on the turf in the NFCC.They were above average.

1. Buffalo and Jacksonville had better defenses in 1999. Do you disagree?2. Since I mentioned 2002, and you mentioned 1999, is it safe to say that top 10 was a fair characterization for the other years I mentioned? Do you think defenses that are top 10 over a long stretch are typically among the best in NFL history? Or do you think a defense that is one of the top few defenses 2 times in a 4 year period is typically among the best in NFL history?

3. Please tell us where you think John Lynch's Tampa defenses rank in NFL history. Define it however you want - individual seasons, decades, whatever.

 

[Vladislav Tretiak]

But would you want Lynch as a teammate before ANY OF THESE GUYS listed?

and I for one would chose him first to be my safety of an NFL team before anyone else... just by his demeanor, his dedication, and his heart.

You would seriously take Lynch before any other safety to start your team huh? That's to bad for your team.A solid persona does NOT make one great in the NFL. Lynch had good awareness but he need all of it because he was slower then most LBs

John Lynch and Roy Williams...hard hitters and not much else

 

[sho nuff]

But would you want Lynch as a teammate before ANY OF THESE GUYS listed?

and I for one would chose him first to be my safety of an NFL team before anyone else... just by his demeanor, his dedication, and his heart.

You would seriously take Lynch before any other safety to start your team huh? That's to bad for your team.A solid persona does NOT make one great in the NFL. Lynch had good awareness but he need all of it because he was slower then most LBs

John Lynch and Roy Williams...hard hitters and not much else

While I think he is a tad overrated, don't go insult him and compare him to Roy Williams.

 

[jbz]

I think it was his personality, his persona that made him one of the greatest.Yeah you can crap out all these stats and explain why this guy was better because he had X amount of tackles more, etc... But would you want Lynch as a teammate before ANY OF THESE GUYS listed?I am not saying he is a hall of famer... in my eyes, absolutely, but in reality; history is not on his side. He was one of the hardest hitting safeties in the league and of all time PLEASE shut up about "plenty" hit harder, cuz you just make yourself look ignorant. Was he the hardest hitter... no... but he could lay wood with the best of them and THAT is undeniable.He was a unique player in a league full of premadonna's... and I for one would chose him first to be my safety of an NFL team before anyone else... just by his demeanor, his dedication, and his heart.The league lost one of the GOOD guys this time around, I for one will miss him, like I miss my boy Mike Alstott. I just hope some of the younger players can start filling the roles... making a difference not only on the field but in the community... in real life like Lynch did. It is a sad day.

Sounds like he should be in the swell guy HOF. Personality and persona don't get you in the HOF. It gets you interviewed on ESPN. Stats or no stats, I would certainly take almost every guy mentioned in this thread over Lynch on my team.

 

[Tau837]

I think it was his personality, his persona that made him one of the greatest.Yeah you can crap out all these stats and explain why this guy was better because he had X amount of tackles more, etc... But would you want Lynch as a teammate before ANY OF THESE GUYS listed?I am not saying he is a hall of famer... in my eyes, absolutely, but in reality; history is not on his side. He was one of the hardest hitting safeties in the league and of all time PLEASE shut up about "plenty" hit harder, cuz you just make yourself look ignorant. Was he the hardest hitter... no... but he could lay wood with the best of them and THAT is undeniable.He was a unique player in a league full of premadonna's... and I for one would chose him first to be my safety of an NFL team before anyone else... just by his demeanor, his dedication, and his heart.The league lost one of the GOOD guys this time around, I for one will miss him, like I miss my boy Mike Alstott. I just hope some of the younger players can start filling the roles... making a difference not only on the field but in the community... in real life like Lynch did. It is a sad day.

Sounds like he should be in the swell guy HOF. Personality and persona don't get you in the HOF. It gets you interviewed on ESPN. Stats or no stats, I would certainly take almost every guy mentioned in this thread over Lynch on my team.