Jim Lynch

James Robert Lynch (August 28, 1945 – July 21, 2022) was an American football linebacker. Lynch played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where he was named an All-American and won the Maxwell Award in 1966. Lynch is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

For other people named Jim Lynch, see Jim Lynch (disambiguation).

Jim Lynch
No. 51
Position:Linebacker
Personal information
Born:(1945-08-28)August 28, 1945
Lima, Ohio, U.S.
Died:July 21, 2022(2022-07-21) (aged 76)
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High school:Lima Central Catholic (Lima, Ohio)
College:Notre Dame
NFL Draft:1967 / Round: 2 / Pick: 47
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Interceptions:17
Fumbles recovered:14
Defensive touchdowns:1
Player stats at PFR

Lynch went on to play for the Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. He was an AFL All-Star in 1968 and a member of the Super Bowl IV championship team.

Early life

Lynch was born in Lima, Ohio.[1] He graduated from Lima Central Catholic High School in 1963.[2] Lynch played for the football and basketball teams.[3][4]

College career

Lynch played college football at the University of Notre Dame. Leading the Fighting Irish in tackles with 108 in 1965 and 106 in 1966, he was the defensive captain of the national champion 1966 Irish team.[5] He received the Maxwell Award[6] as the nation's best college football player in 1966. He was also a unanimous All-American selection that year.[7]

Professional career

The Kansas City Chiefs selected Lynch in the second round of the 1967 NFL/AFL draft.[7][8] From 1967 to 1977, Lynch played for the Chiefs as a right outside linebacker, playing alongside middle linebacker Willie Lanier and left outside linebacker Bobby Bell, both Pro Football Hall of Famers.[9] These linebackers were important elements in the Chiefs' defense in their 1969 championship season, and led the defense in the Chiefs' first Super Bowl victory three years later in their first AFL-NFL World Championship (Super Bowl IV).[10]

Retiring at the end of the 1977 season, Lynch finished his career with 18 sacks,[upper-alpha 1] 17 interceptions and 14 fumble recoveries. He also scored one touchdown.[8][11]

Honors

Lynch was selected to play in the 1968 AFL All-Star Game.[12]

In 1988, Lynch was inducted as an inaugural member into the Lima Central Catholic Hall of Fame for athletic achievement.[13] In 1990, Lynch was inducted into the Chiefs' Hall of Fame.[14] He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992.[15] In 2006, Lynch was interviewed for the NFL Network documentary America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions chronicling the 1969 Kansas City Chiefs AFL and World Championship season.[16]

Personal life

Lynch and his wife had three children.[8] His older brother, Tom, was a center and captain for the 1963 Navy football team.[7]

Lynch died on July 21, 2022, at the age of 76.[17]

Explanatory notes
  1. Sacks were not an official stat until 1982. All sack stats from before that year are unofficial.

References
  1. Kelly, Kyle (July 22, 2022). "Former Notre Dame All-America linebacker Jim Lynch dies at 76". notredame.rivals.com. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  2. "24 Sep 1965, 22 – The Lima News". September 24, 1965. Retrieved July 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "27 Sep 1961, 33 – The Lima Citizen". September 27, 1961. Retrieved July 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "24 Jan 1962, 31 – The Lima Citizen". January 24, 1962. Retrieved July 24, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Notre Dame's 1966 National Championship". uhnd.com. August 21, 2013. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  6. "The Maxwell Award". maxwellfootballclub.org. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  7. "15 Mar 1967, 41 – The Kansas City Star". March 15, 1967. Retrieved July 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Jim Lynch, LB for Chiefs' '70 champs, dies at 76". ESPN.com. July 23, 2022.
  9. "11 Oct 1973, 22 – The Kansas City Star". October 11, 1973. Retrieved July 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "12 Jan 2020, CC16 – The Kansas City Star". January 12, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. Williams, Madison. "Jim Lynch, Chiefs Great and Super Bowl Champion, Has Died – Sports Illustrated". Si.com. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  12. "18 Dec 1968, 22 – The Kansas City Times". December 18, 1968. Retrieved July 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Thunderbird Hall of Fame" (PDF). Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  14. "18 Feb 1990, 213 – The Kansas City Star". February 18, 1990. Retrieved July 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "1 Feb 1992, 52 – The South Bend Tribune". February 1, 1992. Retrieved July 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "5 Dec 2006, 22 – The Kansas City Star". December 5, 2006. Retrieved July 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Former Chiefs LB Jim Lynch dies at 76". USAToday.com. July 21, 2022.
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