➖ Walk-on at D-II Ferris State
➖ Worked 70 hours a week at Chrysler to make ends meet during the off-season
➖ Drafted in the 7th-round in 2018
➖ Waived twice by the Ravens in 2019
➖ Claimed off waivers by Dolphins in 2019
➖ Signed 3-year/$38.65M deal in 2023
➖ Became first DT in franchise history to record 10+ sacks in a single season in 2023
➖ Signed 3-year/$67.7M deal in 2025
Everything earned, nothing given. Blueprint for what hard work and perseverance looks like.
Zach Sieler. #PhinsUp
#Vikings defender Josh Metellus snaps at each position this season, per @NextGenStats:
Linebacker: 216
Slot Corner: 155
Free Safety: 72
Defensive Tackle: 46
Edge rusher: 26
Strong Safety: 14
Cornerback: 8
He can literally play anywhere
(H/T: @alec_lewis)
I was hesitant to post this because I don’t want anyone to think we are asking for pity. Unlike many parents, we got to take our baby home after a hospital visit today. Praising God for that and praying for many who are handling far worse. I want to shout out amazing care we received from doctors, nurses and medics working on Christmas. Baby Jack was airlifted in a helicopter from Grand Strand Medical Center in Myrtle Beach, SC to MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital in Charleston. Both hospitals were so kind and acted fast. Lauren, Eric and Justin with Airlink Novant Health treated our little guy like he was their own and offered reassurance at the scariest moments. Thank you to the strangers that stood by us today. First responders are amazing.
In 1994, John Lynch was a backup safety at Stanford.
He had barely played for 3 years and was ready to quit to play baseball.
But that offseason, Stanford hired Bill Walsh as its head coach.
One conversation with Bill changed everything.
Bill Walsh called John and said, "I watched the tape and you're our best defensive player. I want you back. I think you can be a pro bowl safety."
John Lynch said it blew his mind. He had only played 50% of the snaps last year. He thought Bill Walsh was just "recruiting and selling" him.
Bill told John to come to his office next week and he would show him.
John showed up and he was amazed.
John said, "In true Bill Walsh fashion, he not only told me, he showed me. He made a tape of 10 plays, 5 were Ronnie Lott (who Bill coached) and 5 were me. He would show a play that Ronnie made and then a similar play that I had made."
Bill said, "What do you think now?"
John said, "I'm all in now." He called the Marlins and told them he wasn't quitting football just yet.
John Lynch took off in his senior year. He even learned some great tricks from Joe Montana and Ronnie Lott when they would come by for practice.
Ronnie told him to visualize hitting through people. Imagine there are 4 people and that you hit through all 4 of them.
That advice along with Bill Walsh's belief was just the beginning for John Lynch and his future hall-of-fame career.
Takeaway 1: Your belief in someone or someone's belief in you can be transformative.
John Lynch had doubts about himself and his future, but Bill Walsh's belief in him changed his perspective. Walsh's recognition and assertion that Lynch could be great gave him confidence and a boost. Confidence comes from within, but we all have moments of needed external validation and support. That belief can dramatically change our self-perception and trajectory.
Takeaway 2: Having belief is great, but you still need to do the work.
While Bill Walsh's belief in John Lynch was a crucial turning point, it was ultimately Lynch's response that created his success. If you talk to any of John's teammates, they would say he was one of the hardest workers they ever met. True success requires personal effort, dedication, and the willingness to put in the work necessary to realize your potential. This story highlights that even when someone else recognizes your abilities, it's your own hard work and perseverance that will truly develop them.
"Sometimes I think the lesson is it takes other people to believe in you before you can actually believe to that level in yourself." - John Lynch
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