{{Short description|American football player (born 1985)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Corey Lynch | image = Corey Lynch.JPG | caption = Lynch with the San Diego Chargers in 2012 | current_team = | number = 47, 41, 42 | position = Safety | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|5|7}} | birth_place = Cape Coral, Florida, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 0 | weight_lbs = 205 | high_school = Evangelical Christian {{nowrap|(Fort Myers, Florida)}} | college = Appalachian State (2003–2007) | draftyear = 2008 | draftround = 6 | draftpick = 177 | pastteams = * Cincinnati Bengals ({{NFL Year|2008}}) * Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|2009}}−{{NFL Year|2011}}) * San Diego Chargers ({{NFL Year|2012}}) * Tennessee Titans ({{NFL Year|2013}}) * Indianapolis Colts ({{NFL Year|2013}}) | status = | highlights = * 3× NCAA Division I-AA/FCS national champion (2005, 2006, 2007) * Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Year (2007) | statlabel1 = Total tackles | statvalue1 = 125 | statlabel2 = Fumble recoveries | statvalue2 = 1 | statlabel3 = Interceptions | statvalue3 = 5 | pfr = LyncCo99 }}
'''Corey Austin Lynch''' (born May 7, 1985) is an American former professional football safety. He was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL) in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL draft. He played college football for the Appalachian State Mountaineers.
==Early life== Corey graduated from Evangelical Christian School in Fort Myers, Florida. Lynch's father, Brian was his coach at this school. Brian Lynch remained the football coach at Evangelical until 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-11-11 |title=Evangelical Christian School's Brian Lynch coaching from couch |url=https://www.usatodayhss.com/2012/evangelical-christian-schools-brian-lynch-coaching-from-couch |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=USA TODAY High School Sports |language=en-US}}</ref>
==College career== Lynch played collegiate ball at Appalachian State University from 2003 to 2007, helping his Mountaineers win 3 back-to-back-to-back national championships in 2005, 2006 and 2007. He is a three-time All-American and is perhaps best known for blocking Jason Gingel's field goal attempt in the waning seconds of Appalachian State's 2007 game against Michigan, in which the FCS No. 1 Mountaineers upset the No. 5 nationally ranked Michigan Wolverines on September 1, 2007.<ref>{{cite news|last=Heuser|first=John|title=Special teams problems for Michigan are all too familiar|url=https://blog.mlive.com/wolverines_stories/2007/09/special_teams_problems_for_mic.html|accessdate=August 16, 2013|newspaper=Ann Arbor News|date=September 5, 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071112194427/http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2007/09/special_teams_problems_for_mic.html|archivedate=November 12, 2007|url-status=live}}</ref>
He currently holds the NCAA FCS record for passes defended at 52 (28 pass deflections, 24 interceptions) and finished his collegiate level play with 358 career tackles.
Lynch earned a B.S. in Physics from Appalachian State in December 2007.<ref>{{cite web|title=ASU Student-Athletes Earn Degrees In Fall Commencement|url=http://www.appstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=104458&SPID=12811&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=21500&ATCLID=1545041|publisher=Appalachian State Mountaineers|accessdate=September 4, 2014|date=December 21, 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225161525/http://www.goasu.com/article/11400/|archivedate=December 25, 2007}}</ref><ref name="Colts bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.colts.com/team/roster/Corey-Lynch/d0ca84bb-eca4-47a1-95a0-2711469474a3|title=Corey Lynch|publisher=Indianapolis Colts|accessdate=September 4, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063839/http://www.colts.com/team/roster/Corey-Lynch/d0ca84bb-eca4-47a1-95a0-2711469474a3|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Professional career== ===Cincinnati Bengals=== The Cincinnati Bengals selected Lynch in the sixth round (177th overall) of the 2008 NFL draft.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2008 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2008/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>
On October 12, 2008 against the New York Jets, Lynch recorded his first career interception by picking off quarterback Brett Favre. Lynch was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a knee injury on October 27, 2008. He finished his rookie season with nine tackles, an interception and a pass deflection in seven games.
Lynch was featured in a segment on the HBO show ''Hard Knocks'' for saving a woman's life who was in a car accident.
===Tampa Bay Buccaneers=== Lynch was signed off the Bengals practice squad on September 23, 2009.
===San Diego Chargers=== Lynch signed with the San Diego Chargers for the 2012 season.
===Tennessee Titans=== On August 11, 2013, Lynch was signed by the Tennessee Titans.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jim |last=Wyatt |title=Tennessee Titans' Jake Locker has an off-night |url=http://www.tennessean.com/article/20130811/SPORTS01/308110093/Veteran-middle-linebacker-well-worth-investment-Titans |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130812055538/http://www.tennessean.com/article/20130811/SPORTS01/308110093/Veteran-middle-linebacker-well-worth-investment-Titans |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 12, 2013 |work=The Tennessean |date=August 11, 2013 |accessdate=August 12, 2013 }}</ref> He was cut on August 31. Lynch was re-signed by the Titans on October 28, 2013.<ref>{{cite news |first=John |last=Glennon |title=Corey Lynch returns to Titans |url=http://blogs.tennessean.com/titans/2013/10/28/corey-lynch-returns-to-titans |work=The Tennessean |date=October 28, 2013 |accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref> On November 22, 2013, just 25 days after being re-signed with the team, Corey was again waived by the Tennessee Titans.
===Indianapolis Colts=== On November 26, 2013, Lynch was signed by the Indianapolis Colts. Indianapolis opted to acquire the veteran Lynch after Colts' reserve standout safety, Delano Howell, suffered a season-ending injury.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stampedeblue.com/2013/11/26/5150166/colts-sign-safety-corey-lynch|title = Colts Sign Safety Corey Lynch|date = November 26, 2013}}</ref> Lynch finished his season with the Colts with 4 tackles. On a fake punt, Lynch rushed for 3 yards against the Houston Texans.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.colts.com/team/statistics.html|title = The Official Website of the Indianapolis Colts}}</ref> On June 20, 2014, he was released by the Colts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blogs.colts.com/2014/06/20/indianapolis-colts-release-s-corey-lynch-from-injured-reserve/|title=Indianapolis Colts Release S-Corey Lynch from Injured Reserve|date=June 20, 2014}}</ref>
==Personal== Corey Lynch is married to Jane "Cissie" Graham Lynch, daughter of evangelist Franklin Graham and a grandchild of evangelist Billy Graham and 2007 Queen of the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival. He told reporters he thinks the Bengals, which has seen many players in legal trouble off the field, drafted him because of his character as well as for his playing skills. Corey is also an avid fisherman and enjoys much of his spare time fishing in his home town in Florida.<ref>{{cite news | author=Mark Curnutte | title=Lynch has the goods | work=The Cincinnati Enquirer | date=May 4, 2008 | url=http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080504/SPT02/805040420/1062/SPT | accessdate=May 23, 2008}}</ref>
On June 21, 2009, while driving on a Kentucky interstate, Lynch saw a car go off the road and down an embankment. He stopped, ran down to the car, and freed an injured woman's neck. It was written that he saved her life.<ref name="tbocar">{{cite web|last=Richardson|first=Anwar|title=Wide Right: Block isn't what makes Lynch a hero|url=http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/dec/13/sp-block-isnt-what-makes-him-a-hero/sports/|work=Tampa Bay Online|publisher=Tampa Tribune|accessdate=July 10, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091218101145/http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/dec/13/sp-block-isnt-what-makes-him-a-hero/sports/|archive-date=December 18, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Corey is known on the Buccaneers by the nickname "HBO", a reference to his appearance on HBO's ''Hard Knocks'' television series.<ref>Scheiber, Dave. "The Bucs' newest Lynch, safety Corey Lynch, gets tuned in". St. Petersburg Times. September 26, 2009</ref>
Corey resides in Boone, NC with his wife, Cissie and children Margaret, Austin and Georgia.
Corey's brother, Colton, was a defensive back on the Harvard Crimson football team having graduated in 2014.
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080101024126/http://www.goasu.com/football/roster/1568/ Appalachian State bio]
{{2005 Appalachian State Mountaineers football navbox}} {{2006 Appalachian State Mountaineers football navbox}} {{2007 Appalachian State Mountaineers football navbox}} {{Bengals2008DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lynch, Corey}} Category:1985 births Category:Living people Category:Sportspeople from Cape Coral, Florida Category:Players of American football from Lee County, Florida Category:American football safeties Category:Appalachian State Mountaineers football players Category:Cincinnati Bengals players Category:Tampa Bay Buccaneers players Category:San Diego Chargers players Category:Tennessee Titans players Category:Indianapolis Colts players