Former Bucs, Broncos safety Lynch to retire Monday

Lynch's decline in playing time began last season as he started to come off the field on passing downs. Still, he played every snap over the last three games, and Broncos owner Pat Bowlen talked him into signing a cut-rate deal in the offseason.

As practices wore on, Lynch became disappointed with the amount of time he was receiving. He asked the team to let him explore other options.

The Broncos did just that, understanding his choice.

"You want them to be happy with how they finish things off," receiver Brandon Stokley said. "You want what's best for him. He was a great player, great teammate and somebody the NFL will miss."

Not receivers, though.

Stokley took a couple of Lynch's licks while playing for Indianapolis. Lynch's blows hurt. A lot.

"He was somebody you always knew where he was," Stokley said. "He brought it every play."

McCree thanks the likes of Lynch for his pocketbook. He says Lynch, Philadelphia's Brian Dawkins and others are the reason hard-hitting safeties are well compensated.

"I feel like every safety that plays this game is indebted to him," McCree said. "The safeties they are drafting now, they're drafting to model a guy like John Lynch."

The prototypical safety is someone who seeks out contact -- just like Lynch.

He's made numerous rib-rattling hits, like knocking Colts tight end Dallas Clark silly in the final game of the regular season in '04. He drew a hefty fine for that one.

Then again, he's drawn quite a few fines throughout his playing days.

Lynch has also been featured in his fair share of videos promoting fierce hits. His collisions are the stamp on his career.

"Those big hits -- that's a good thing to be known for," Ekuban said. "We all looked for him to make that big, big hit early in the game, so we knew we were coming to play."