Getty Ex-Chicago Bears Linebacker Aaron Lynch played in 29 games for the Bears, starting three. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Perhaps Aaron Lynch was just channeling Brett Favre? The ex-Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers linebacker signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars this past May before abruptly retiring in August. Now, less than three months later, Lynch has un-retired, and will rejoin the Jaguars this week, per multiple reports the team confirmed via its Twitter account.
Lynch’s retirement this fall came as quite a bit of a surprise, as he had just signed a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the Jags, and he wasn’t coming off a major injury. In fact, he played in all 16 games for the Bears last year, serving as a role player on the defensive line.
Jaguars DE/OLB Aaron Lynch – who retired in August – has unretired and been reinstated to Jacksonville’s roster. He’s posted 20 sacks over 6 NFL seasons.
DE/LB Aaron Lynch was reinstated from our reserve/retired list to our exempt/commissioner permission list.
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Lynch Will Immediately Help a Struggling Jags Defense
GettyEx-Bears LB Aaron Lynch will give it another go with the Jacksonville Jaguars this season. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
This will be Lynch’s seventh season. The 27-year old pass rusher spent the 2018-2019 seasons with the Bears, where he played in 29 games, starting three. Lynch was drafted by the 49ers in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft, where he played for four years, appearing in 44 games.
Over his career, Lynch has amassed 36 tackles for loss, 63 quarterback hits, 20 sacks and an interception. He should provide immediate assistance to a Jags team that currently ranks 29th in the league in total defense.
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Lynch Has Shown Maturity & Growth in Recent Years
GettyEx-Bears and 49ers LB Aaron Lynch retired from the NFL at the age of 27.
Lynch had a promising start to his career with the 49ers. He racked up 12.5 sacks his first two seasons in 2014-15, but a suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs coupled with a back injury kept him off the field for much of his 2016-17 campaigns. He got a second chance in Chicago in 2018, when he was paired again with DC Vic Fangio, who had also served as defensive coordinator in his early years with the 49ers.
Last year, prior to the start of the season, Lynch discussed how he had matured as a player over the years, noting how his focus has shifted from a more self-centered approach to a team-centered one. “Five years ago, it was all about me: ‘I’m going to make the most plays I want to make.’ [Now] I’d rather be on the No. 1 defense than excel [individually],” Lynch told reporters. “Don’t get me wrong, I want 13 sacks. But if I’m on the best defense and get five sacks, then I’m doing my part … I just want to succeed on every play. It doesn’t matter of it’s two plays or 30, 40, 60 plays a game. If I go in … you know that y’all aren’t going to be missing anybody. That’s what I want to be.”
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