Lynch to hang 'em up in Tampa

November 15, 11:02 AMTampa Bay Buccaneers ExaminerJ.J. Rodriguez

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John Lynch celebrates Tampa Bay's Super Bowl win

The Buccaneers announced in October their plans to create a 'Ring of Honor' to celebrate the career accomplishments of Bucs legends, such as Mike Alstott and Lee Roy Selmon, to name a few. Well, John Lynch is a shoe-in to join them. Lynch has scheduled a Monday press conference in Tampa at One Buc Place to announce his retirement from the game he has played his entire life. Lynch was drafted in 1993 from Stanford, and appeared in five Pro Bowl's as a Buccaneer. Lynch, along with Alstott, Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks, will forever be linked as the foundation for turning around one of sports worst franchises.

Of course, Lynch will be most remembered for his bone-crushing hits and blue-collar work ethic. He was a consummate professional and played the game the right way. Receivers and running backs knew #47 was going to meet and greet them rudely if they went across the middle. Sadly, it was those punishing hits that ultimately ended his career in Tampa Bay after the 2003 season.

Hindsight being 20/20, I'm sure the Glazer's realize they made a mistake in releasing him when they did. He appeared in four more Pro Bowls as a Bronco and lived up the promise he made in his statement upon being released from the Bucs: 
 

"I believe my best days as a player and as a person, are ahead of me, not behind me. I've always tried to play and will continue to play this game the way that I think it's supposed to be played."

Then, fighting back tears, he said:

"I'd like to say that, I'll always be a Buccaneer. I'll be playing some place else next year, and I look forward to that, but I'll always be a Buccaneer in my heart, and that means a lot to me."

I think I speak for all Bucs fans when I say, we couldn't agree more John. We couldn't agree more.