49ers GM John Lynch is officially a Hall of Famer

The wait is over for San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch. On Saturday night, the former four-time All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowler was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The President of the Hall of Fame, David Baker, broke the news to Lynch:

It’s not often we get to see the human side of those inside the NFL.

Seeing Lynch get emotional and speak about how honored he was, knowing that his peers feel he’s worthy of a Hall of Fame nod, was refreshing.

Lynch was a dominant player in the NFL for nearly a decade. Lynch finished his career with 26 interceptions, and 68 passes defended. He also had 28 tackles for loss, 16 forced fumbles, and 13 sacks. He was the definition of an enforcer.

Congrats to Lynch, who deserves to be recognized with the best of the best. Here’s a look at who made it in the Centennial class:

• Harold Carmichael
• Jim Covert
• Bill Cowher
• Bobby Dillon
• Cliff Harris
• Winston Hill
• Jimmy Johnson
• Alex Karras
• Steve Sabol
• Donnie Shell
• Duke Slater
• Mac Speedie
• Ed Sprinkle
• Paul Tagliabue
• George Young

The list of modern-era players who made this year’s Hall of Fame class included some of the best and most talented players at their positions in NFL history:

• Alan Faneca
• Calvin Johnson
• Peyton Manning
• Charles Woodson

Tom Flores was the coach, and former scout/personnel executive Bill Nunn was named as a “Contributor.”

Here is Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders on Lynch:

“He reminded me of a lot of guys like Ronnie Lott and Steve Atwater. … John didn’t just play the position, he occupied a spot in your mind, and you had to be aware at all times where he was on the field.’’

Unlike the others, Lynch can’t afford to celebrate for too long. From watching NFL draft-eligible players to potential free agents the 49ers could sign, Lynch has a busy couple of months ahead of him.