ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Big-hitting safety John Lynch's crunching collisions are over.
Lynch has decided to retire, officially ending his career with a news conference Monday in Tampa, Fla.
The 37-year-old was a nine-time Pro Bowler for Denver and Tampa Bay, finishing with 1,277 tackles, 100 pass breakups and 26 interceptions in 224 regular-season games.
He departed Denver on good terms in July after being bumped from his starting role and signed with the Patriots. He was cut two weeks later and has been out of the game since.
"Just everything you'd want in a player," Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said Friday after hearing about Lynch's retirement. "He set an example on how to be a pro."
Lynch made it known that there was a price to pay for coming over the middle -- a painful pounding.
"He made a name for himself with (big hits)," said safety Marlon McCree, whose emergence in Denver eventually led to Lynch bolting the Broncos. "That's the type of player he was."
Lynch played 11 years in Tampa Bay, winning a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers during the 2002 season. But he struggled with neck injuries in his final season there and eventually needed surgery to remove bone spurs.
The Bucs said goodbye, partly thinking his career was complete.
Lynch landed in Denver before the '04 season. He made four more Pro Bowl squads and guided the Broncos into the AFC championship game, losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.
"John was one of the most intense players I have ever played with," cornerback Champ Bailey said. "It was an honor and a pleasure to play four years with John Lynch. I learned a lot from him."
Lynch set the tone for the defense with his jarring hits.
"There was nothing better than for John to get that first big hit early," Broncos defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban said. "The whole defense rallied around that. It got everybody hyped up, everybody ready to go."
