Lynch, Broncos part ways; next step uncertain

John Lynch’s days with the Broncos are over.

The 16-year safety, nine-time Pro Bowl pick and Buc from 1993-2003 met with coach Mike Shanahan in Englewood, Colo., on Wednesday. Lynch, who turns 37 on Sept. 25, told Denver’s KCNC-TV that he was given permission to explore other opportunities. Lynch skipped a meeting Tuesday and was excused from Wednesday’s workouts.

He held off retiring after last season at the urging of Broncos owner Pat Bowlen. He was told he would compete for a starting job when he took a pay cut. But with the emergence of Marlon McCree, Lynch didn’t play a single snap in the nickel or dime packages during camp’s first week.

Compiled from Times wires

(Pictured: John Lynch, Getty Images. Click to enlarge.)

Comments

[Hayes]

I wish John Lynch the best of luck in whatever decision he makes. He is a great football player as well as a great person. He is one of my favorite buccaneers of all time.

[eric]

John should come back and retire as a Buc... then, straight to Canton.
e

[Leo Canadian Bucs Fan]

My daughter and I look forward to the day we can wear our #47 Bucs Jerseys to your enshrinement in Canton.

[HT]

one of my all time favorite... I think he should retire (not like favre) and the bucs should sign him so he can retire a bucs. p.s. why in the world did we let him go!! :(

His best days are probably behind him, but I hate to read comments that push anyone into retirement. I don't know, but maybe he still wants to play. A lot of people got on Jerry Rice playing for the Raiders, Seahawks, and going as far as training camp with the Broncos, but if that's what Rice wanted, then I thought that was great for him.

If Lynch wants to retire, he should retire, if he wants to earn a roster spot somewhere else, he should do that. As others have said, I wish him the best.

[Feesh]

We let him go because his play dramatically decreased and he wasn't worth the money they were paying him. Go back and look at the film where Jermaine Phillips (a younger player) was outperforming him and was making less money.

Time after time he blew coverage and missed tackles. His recent Pro Bowl nods were based on popularity and not play on the field.

[Kurt]

HT...we let him go because his shoulder popped out every other play back then. He had micro-fracture surgery (which at the time was experimental for the shoulder,) and he was able to play more years. He does not bemoan the Bucs for making that decision and if you recall, Phillips was laying in wait and had performed at a high level for us. He will retire a Buc - guaranteed.

[joe]

Sign Lynch so he can retire a Buc...Class act

[Steve L]

Kurt’s right- Lynch retiring as a Buc is a no brainer. At a minimum he’ll sign a one day contract which has become de rigueur these days for long time pros that play a few years in another locale. Letting him go was questionable at the time, but the public’s opinion of the move was clouded much more by the fact that he’s a good guy then by his play at that time. There was far less flap about Sapp leaving, though in hindsight retaining him would have made much more sense.

[Matt]

You'd think the Buc's could work out some sort of Trotter type deal for Lynch to come back to the Buc's as a locker room / mentor type for a final year or two.

[shane]

let John come back and retire where he started like we did for Dunn. Like many others have said it would be a class act by the Buccaneers organization. Class acts=better public image, better public image=more fans in seats, more fans in seats=more money, so in turn Class act=More money Oren Koules understands that so should the Glazers

[Columbus Buc Fan]

Steve L is right! When John left it was more about John the "good guy" leaving then #47 leaving the bucs secondary.
Just like Dunn, both great guys on and off the field.

[Dwayne in TN]

"We let him go because his play dramatically decreased and he wasn't worth the money they were paying him."
I've got to throw up the BS flag here. I may be a homer, but his release 4 years ago still boils my blood and may prevent me from ever liking Bruce Allen. $3 million a year is not that much for a 6 time pro bowl safety. And in 4 years with the Broncos he went to Hawaii 3 MORE TIMES! Thats every year but 2004 when he played hurt all year.

[George Leslie Hicks]

Bring John Lynch back is a no brainer. I would love to see Number 47 back where he belongs. Espically His Leadership and his well liked in the Community if not on the BUCS. Bring Em Back TAMPA PLEASE. I hope He would really think about coming back. He Did a Great JOB off the field in Bay Area. Plus His foundation would get a boost. Bye Denver, How about TAMPA BAY AGAIN.

[Mark]

If warrick did it

so can john!

[shane]

many of john's former teammates are still here too shelton is still here(yes i know he's involved in college scouting now), we still have derrick and ronde on D and now warrick is back so why not come back and retire with your friends/former teammates and if teammates don't matter why not come back for a complete circle and retire with the team that drafted you? It also wouldn't be a shock to see him retire in Indy considering who is up there

[George]

Bring him back to Tampa as the asst. secondary coach!... Then if Raheem leaves for D-coordinator job next year, we still have a guy around who knows the techniques that make this defense work...

I realize it's kinda presumptuous, since we don't know if he wants to coach, or if he'd be a good coach.

The thought of Lynch coming back to the Bucs as a coach sounds great though.

[Feesh]

Hey Dwayne -

Do you really think that the Pro Bowl means you're the best at your position or that it's merely a popularity contest? The voting is left up to anyone who wants to click their mouse.

John was getting outplayed by Jermaine Phillips - that's a fact. Go back and watch the film from years past. John was missing tackles and blowing coverage.

Look at the Denver games against KC and SD. He couldn't cover their TEs and was getting burnt left and right.

Face it - his best years were behind him and we let him go to give the spot to a younger player. Every team does it.

[Brian]

I have to weigh in on Lynch-he was injured with the left shoulder problem at the time the Bucs released him. Part of the reason for the release was having Phillips who struggled many games in his first year as a starter--does everyone forget the Monday night disaster against the Colts??

However, Gruden also wanted to clear out a lot of Dungy's guys and make it his team so he needed the cash and space to bring in that group of veterans who were overpaid and way past their prime. After that disaster, the Glazers reigned in Gruden on personnel decisions and gave most authority to Bruce Allen.

After the surgery as Kurt noted, Lynch played very well for 2-3 years. I agree the pro-bowl can be a popularity contest, but you will not go unless you are playing good ball. It was a mistake to cut Lynch who had good playing ability left but was also a great team guy.

Let him retire as a Buc-and go into the Hall as a Buc as he should.

[Feesh]

It was Tim Wamsley who continued to get burnt in the Indy game.

[Feesh]

Or Walmsley I believe....