John Lynch was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 8, primarily for what he did as a player during his distinguished 15-year career as one of the most fearsome rock 'em-and sock’em safeties the NFL ever has seen.
But what Lynch has accomplished over the past four years in rebuilding the 49ers as the team’s general manager might have something to do with finally pushing Lynch over the edge and into the hallowed Hall where some of the greatest figures in sports history are enshrined for eternity.
After all, Lynch was a top-15 modern era finalist in Hall voting for seven consecutive years before he finally was tabbed for enshrinement in February along with four other modern candidates, including three slam-dunk first-year finalists, as part of the Hall’s eight-member Class of 2021.
This came just one year after Lynch was named 2019 NFL Executive of the Year for his part in turning the 49ers into NFC champions just three years after he and coach Kyle Shanahan inherited a 2-14 team and began dismantling the roster and building a new culture and foundation for the organization.
A coincidence? We think not after Lynch finally was enshrined in his ninth year of eligibility.
“What a humbling honor,” Lynch said during his poignant induction speech. “First, let me say that nothing about my Hall of Fame journey has been easy. I waited eight years as a finalist. What a privilege it is to be inducted into this brotherhood. As everyone up here will attest, it takes a lot of belief to get to this stage.”
It’s not difficult to believe that Lynch at last was standing on that stage. His fabulous career speaks for itself.
Denne historien er fra August 31, 2021-utgaven av Niner Report.
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Denne historien er fra August 31, 2021-utgaven av Niner Report.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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EIGHT IS ENOUGH
Set 49ers lineup still has several new starters
Calling all cornerbacks
Loss of Verrett exposes 49ers’ thin depth at CB
Always finding their way to run
49ers system accomplished at developing homegrown talent
ANOTHER COMEBACK?
Resilient veteran Verrett to miss rest of season
TOP 10 Rookie running backs
THE BACK LIST
STOCK UP STOCK DOWN
DEOMMODORE LENOIR | AMBRY THOMAS
Will Mostert run for 49ers again?
Raheem Mostert was primed this year to be the centerpiece of one of the NFL’s most dynamic offenses, featured as the lead performer in San Francisco’s grinding rushing attack while making his climb among the league’s top running backs.
THE WONDER OF WARNER
49ers make All-Pro star highest-paid LB in NFL
Making the right choice at QB
In the weeks that follow after you read this — and perhaps sometime even sooner than that — Kyle Shanahan and the rest of the 49ers organization will make a titanic decision that will have present, future and perhaps even everlasting implications for the franchise. It will chart the course for the team’s pivotal 2021 season while determining whether San Francisco really does have the juice to return to powerhouse status and again be considered a legitimate contender to get back to the Super Bowl.
TOP 10 Linebacker seasons
Fred Warner vaulted to stardom with a spectacular 2020 season — and the 49ers rewarded him this summer with a $95.225 million deal that makes him the highest-paid inside linebacker in NFL history. By today’s standards, Warner’s performance last year was worth the money as he posted an Approximate Value of 19 — matching the highest score ever recorded by a San Francisco defender according to a Pro Football Reference formula that puts a single number on each player-season across all positions since 1960. Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman (twice) also had seasons with an AV of 19 as they dominate this list of the greatest individual seasons by a linebacker in 49ers history.
