{"id":1313684,"date":"2019-08-18T20:28:00","date_gmt":"2019-08-19T02:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/a-lot-of-parallels-elway-has-long-been-lynchs-idol-mentor\/"},"modified":"2019-08-18T20:28:00","modified_gmt":"2019-08-19T02:28:00","slug":"a-lot-of-parallels-elway-has-long-been-lynchs-idol-mentor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/local-news\/a-lot-of-parallels-elway-has-long-been-lynchs-idol-mentor\/","title":{"rendered":"A lot of parallels: Elway has long been Lynch\u2019s idol, mentor"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.9016216216216\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-986221-370\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | AP | Retired NFL head coach Mike Shanahan, center, talks to reporters during a combined NFL training camp at which the Denver Broncos hosted the San Francisco 49ers Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, at the Broncos' headquarters in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"15\">\n<p><strong>Retired NFL head coach Mike Shanahan, center, talks to reporters during a combined NFL training camp at which the Denver Broncos hosted the San Francisco 49ers Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, at the Broncos&#8217; headquarters in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/strong><br \/>AP | AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11.jpg\" alt=\"Retired NFL head coach Mike Shanahan, center, talks to reporters during a combined NFL training camp at which the Denver Broncos hosted the San Francisco 49ers Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, at the Broncos' headquarters in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | AP | San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo leads quarterbacks through a drill during a combined NFL training camp with the Denver Broncos Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, at the Broncos' headquarters in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"13\">\n<p><strong>San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo leads quarterbacks through a drill during a combined NFL training camp with the Denver Broncos Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, at the Broncos&#8217; headquarters in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/strong><br \/>AP | AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-1.jpg\" alt=\"San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo leads quarterbacks through a drill during a combined NFL training camp with the Denver Broncos Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, at the Broncos' headquarters in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-2.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | AP | Denver Broncos general manager John Elway looks on during an NFL football training camp with the Broncos and San Francisco 49ers Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"13\">\n<p><strong>Denver Broncos general manager John Elway looks on during an NFL football training camp with the Broncos and San Francisco 49ers Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/strong><br \/>AP | AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-2.jpg\" alt=\"Denver Broncos general manager John Elway looks on during an NFL football training camp with the Broncos and San Francisco 49ers Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-3.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | AP | Denver Broncos quarterback Joe Flacco takes a break during a combined NFL training camp with the San Francisco 49ers Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, at the Broncos' headquarters in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"13\">\n<p><strong>Denver Broncos quarterback Joe Flacco takes a break during a combined NFL training camp with the San Francisco 49ers Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, at the Broncos&#8217; headquarters in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/strong><br \/>AP | AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-3.jpg\" alt=\"Denver Broncos quarterback Joe Flacco takes a break during a combined NFL training camp with the San Francisco 49ers Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, at the Broncos' headquarters in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-4-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-4.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | AP | Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Peter Lambert works against the Miami Marlins in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Peter Lambert works against the Miami Marlins in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/strong><br \/>AP | AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-4.jpg\" alt=\"Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Peter Lambert works against the Miami Marlins in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-5-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-5.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | AP | Miami Marlins' Harold Ramirez gestures to the dugout after his RBI-double off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Peter Lambert in the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"12\">\n<p><strong>Miami Marlins&#8217; Harold Ramirez gestures to the dugout after his RBI-double off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Peter Lambert in the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/strong><br \/>AP | AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-5.jpg\" alt=\"Miami Marlins' Harold Ramirez gestures to the dugout after his RBI-double off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Peter Lambert in the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-6-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-6.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | AP | Miami Marlins second baseman Isan Diaz, left, tags out Colorado Rockies' Trevor Story as he tries to steal second base in the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"1.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"14\">\n<p><strong>Miami Marlins second baseman Isan Diaz, left, tags out Colorado Rockies&#8217; Trevor Story as he tries to steal second base in the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/strong><br \/>AP | AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-6.jpg\" alt=\"Miami Marlins second baseman Isan Diaz, left, tags out Colorado Rockies' Trevor Story as he tries to steal second base in the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-7-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-7.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | AP | Miami Marlins second baseman Isan Diaz reacts after making a fielding error in the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"13\">\n<p><strong>Miami Marlins second baseman Isan Diaz reacts after making a fielding error in the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)<\/strong><br \/>AP | AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/49ers_Broncos_Football_54386-b8fc11-7.jpg\" alt=\"Miami Marlins second baseman Isan Diaz reacts after making a fielding error in the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/sports\/a-lot-of-parallels-elway-has-long-been-lynchs-idol-mentor\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/sports\/a-lot-of-parallels-elway-has-long-been-lynchs-idol-mentor\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">ENGLEWOOD, Colo. \u2014 San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch always wanted to be like John Elway, his idol growing up and his mentor in the NFL both on the football field and in the front office.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cJohn was a tremendous resource,\u201d Lynch said Saturday as his team wrapped up two days of joint practices with Elway\u2019s Denver Broncos in advance of their Monday night preseason game. \u201cHe\u2019s a good friend. We\u2019ve got a lot of parallels in where we went to school and being two-sport athletes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Both were tutored by celebrated California high school football coach Jack Neumeier and both were Stanford quarterbacks who also excelled on the baseball field before starring for the Broncos, albeit a decade apart and at different positions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">When Lynch was a rookie safety in 1993 with the Buccaneers, Elway gave him some pointers after a game that stuck with him his whole career.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">That tutoring continued two decades later when Lynch served a sort of apprenticeship under Elway, the Hall of Fame quarterback-turned-general manager. He attended the 2013 NFL combine with Elway and sat with the Broncos\u2019 GM during the draft.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">When the 49ers approached him about their GM job, Lynch sought Elway\u2019s advice again, and Elway told him he could be great in the front office just as he was on the football field for 15 NFL seasons and in the broadcast booth for eight more.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Elway said he knew Lynch had the right temperament , people skills and football knowledge.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cHe was a guy that was a great competitor, and so I thought that being a GM for him would be a really good fit,\u201d Elway said, before quickly adding: \u201cAnd I apologized to him a couple of times. I told him, \u2018I hope you still like it.\u2019 Because I don\u2019t like it after two losing years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Unable to find a suitable replacement at QB since Peyton Manning retired in 2016, the Broncos have posted back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1971-72 after going to two Super Bowls and winning one in Elway\u2019s first five seasons.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">An 11-21 two-year skid led Elway to make yet another offseason change at both head coach (Vic Fangio for Vance Joseph) and quarterback (Joe Flacco for Case Keenum) and use a second-round draft pick on Missouri QB project Drew Lock.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The 49ers already have their franchise quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo , but he blew out his left knee last September, and San Francisco stumbled to 4-12 after going 6-10 in coach Kyle Shanahan\u2019s first season. Garoppolo won all five of his starts in 2017 following his stunning trade from New England.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">At 59, Elway is 12 years older than Lynch, who freely admits it was Elway\u2019s poster he had on his wall growing up.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI used to try to walk pigeon-toed so I\u2019d be more like him and all those things,\u201d Lynch said, chuckling. \u201cBut now to call him a friend and I think the little bit of time in an offseason when he had me come in here was very integral in my motivation to do this and saying, hey this might be something that someday I might want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cSo, he\u2019s been a tremendous resource and I have a great amount of respect and admiration for him in everything he\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The Broncos and 49ers got together for workouts this week largely because of the close relationship between Elway and Lynch, and the Broncos ejected two players from practice for throwing punches during a dust-up Saturday: roster longshots Brendan Langley and Bug Howard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cParticularly when you have a great partner to work with, there\u2019s so much you get out of this work,\u201d Lynch said, rattling off advantages such as facing different schemes and unfamiliar opponents to evaluating how players handle the uptick in intensity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cVic even said to his guys, \u2018Hey, these are our teammates for the next couple of days,\u2019 and Kyle reiterated it,\u201d Lynch said before Saturday\u2019s scuffle. \u201cThat doesn\u2019t mean that you\u2019re not competing your tail off, but it means let\u2019s respect each other.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Elway is a big fan of the joint practices not only as a tool to evaluate his own roster, but to get a look at another team\u2019s bubble players.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI think it\u2019s great,\u201d Elway said. \u201cI think that we get better. You get better work, you get better concentration, you get better competition.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Mike Shanahan , who coached both Elway and Lynch, also attended the joint workouts, watching both his son\u2019s team and his old team Friday and Saturday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cMike\u2019s always been a big part of this organization, always will be,\u201d Elway said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s nice to have him come back out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/arniestapleton\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/twitter.com\/arniestapleton<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">More AP NFL: <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/tag\/NFL\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/apnews.com\/tag\/NFL<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AP%E2%80%94NFL\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/twitter.com\/AP\u2014NFL<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/sports\/a-lot-of-parallels-elway-has-long-been-lynchs-idol-mentor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: Post Independent<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Retired NFL head coach Mike Shanahan, center, talks to reporters during a combined NFL training camp at which the Denver Broncos hosted the San Francisco 49ers Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019, at the Broncos&#8217; headquarters in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo\/David Zalubowski)AP | AP San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo leads quarterbacks through a drill during a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1313684","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-26 05:29:26","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSKE Ski Country","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1313684","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1313684"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1313684\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1313684"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1313684"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1313684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}