Question

John Lynch is going into Canton. He played both baseball and football at Stanford, actually selected earlier in the MLB draft (66th in 1992) than the NFL draft (82nd in 1993). What coach persuaded Lynch to choose football, convincing him he could develop into a Pro Bowl safety?

Answer

Bill Walsh. Lynch played most of his career at Stanford under Dennis Green. After Green took the head-coaching job with the Minnesota Vikings, Walsh took over at Stanford; he convinced Lynch to come back for his senior season rather than pursuing a baseball career.