7. Buccaneers SS John Lynch – 1993-2003

By Trevor Sikkema

Lynch was a three-star athlete in high school at Torrey Pines High School in the Carmel Valley/Del Mar area of San Diego, California, where he played football, baseball and basketball. He continued that multi-sport lifestyle in college, at Stanford University, where Lynch starred in baseball and football – where he was coached by NFL Hall of Famer, Bill Walsh.

Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Lynch was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round, pick No. 82, in the 1993 NFL Draft. When he arrived, the Buccaneers were among the worst teams in the league; his first three years were the last of a record stretch of 10-loss seasons. But as Lynch stuck around, the tides began to change for the better. With head coach Tony Dungy’s arrival, as well as the draft picks of Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp, Lynch found himself as a cornerstone piece for what would forever be called the “Tampa 2” defense. With Lynch and other pieces perfectly in place, that Tampa 2 defense collected a Super Bowl ring in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Lynch was elected to nine Pro Bowl during his career. He is 6th all-time on the Bucs’ franchise interception list, 6th all-time on the Bucs’ franchise starts list, and 5th all-time on the Bucs’ franchise tackles list.

Today his name hangs on the Buccaneers’ Ring of Honor at Raymond James Stadium, recognized for being one of the greatest ever to put on a Buccaneers uniform.

Sikkema Take: “The accolades speak for themselves with Lynch – a reason why he’s still around the NFL now as the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers. The only Buccaneer with more Pro Bowls than Lynch is Derrick Brooks. His name litters the franchise’s record books for individual accomplishments, and as a key part of the team’s only Super Bowl.”