Statement from 49ers CEO Jed York:
"On behalf of my family and the 49ers organization, I would like to congratulate John on this well-deserved honor. He has achieved greatness throughout his NFL career and is a consummate ambassador for the sport. John has certainly earned the right to be called a Hall of Famer and take his place in Canton among the all-time greats of the game. Opponents knew him as a smart and physically intimidating player, while his coaches and teammates knew him to be a tremendous leader. Over the last four years, John's leadership has been instrumental in building a sustainable championship culture here with the 49ers. We are so happy for the Lynch family as they celebrate this wonderful accomplishment."
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Eighth time's a charm for San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch. After years of reaching the final step in the selection process, Lynch's name now adds to the exclusive list of former players, coaches and executives to receive pro football's highest honor.
On Saturday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame revealed its inductees into its Class of 2021 with Lynch adding to former teammate and NFL great, Peyton Manning among others. Hall of Fame president David Baker revealed the news to Lynch and family in a surprise visit to his San Diego home.
San Francisco's general manager constructed one of the all-time great NFL careers while with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993-2003) and Denver Broncos (2004-07). Lynch appeared in 224 games (191 starts) and registered 1,059 tackles, 13.0 sacks, 26 interceptions, 16 forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries and 100 passes defended. Known for his hard-hitting prowess, the safety was credited with 90-or-more tackles in a season nine times throughout his 15-year NFL career.
Lynch was voted to nine Pro Bowls and earned All-Pro recognition for three-consecutive years between 1999-2001. He was an integral part of the Buccaneers championship season that earned the franchise's first Super Bowl title in 2002.
After spending 10 years in the booth as a FOX analyst following his retirement from the league in 2008, Lynch was hired as the 49ers general manager in February of 2017. After inheriting a 2-14 team, Lynch helped construct San Francisco's title-contending roster just three seasons later. He's credited with the acquisition of San Francisco's key later-round stars in George Kittle (fifth-round) and Fred Warner (third-round) among others.
The Modern-Era Player Inductees were determined by a vote of the hall's Selection Committee from a list of 130 nominees named in September. The Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2021 will be enshrined Sunday, Aug. 8, 2021 in Canton, Ohio.
Here's a full list of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021:
| Inductee | Position | Team(s) | Years Played | Year of Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Woodson | DB | Oakland Raiders, Green Bay Packers | 1998-2015 | 1 |
| Calvin Johnson | WR | Detroit Lions | 2007-2015 | 1 |
| Alan Faneca | G | Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals | 1998-2010 | 6 |
| John Lynch | S | Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Denver Broncos | 1993-2007 | 9 |
| Peyton Manning | QB | Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos | 1998-2015 | 1 |
| Drew Pearson | WR | Dallas Cowboys | 1973-1983 | Senior Inductee |
| Bill Nunn | Scout | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1970-2014 | Contributor Inductee |
| Tom Flores | Coach | Oakland, Los Angeles Raiders, Seattle Seahawks | 1971-1994 | Coach Inductee |
