National Football League

Peter Schrager Podcast: Does Lynch expect an upset in Seattle?

Published Jan. 8, 2014 11:13 a.m. ET

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A few days before broadcasting his first NFL playoff game, NFL on FOX analyst John Lynch was the guest on the Peter Schrager Podcast this week. A former four-time All Pro safety, Lynch opened up on a plethora of topics surrounding this weekend and the sport as a whole.

Lynch revealed that he almost played a part in the Peyton Manning recruitment to Denver in March of 2012, though his services really weren't actually needed. Knowing Lynch and Manning were very friendly, Broncos team president John Elway asked the one-time Broncos safety to join he and Manning for dinner at a nearby country club when Manning was in Denver for his free agent visit. When Lynch got there, however, Elway and Manning were already well on their way.

"That night, John [Elway] called and I was out to dinner with my family and he called and said, 'Come on over.' They were at Cherry Hills Country Club, a place where Peyton could just have his space. So I got there, and those two were just in deep conversation. They stayed over there for two hours. I was going to go over to their table, but I sensed that those two were just fine."

Schrager asked Lynch if he thinks "Monday Night Football" analyst Jon Gruden, his former coach in Tampa Bay, would ever return to the sidelines: "I always thought [Gruden] would [return]. It's just in his blood. There are other people that have left, like Tony Dungy. I think Tony's being honest when he says he'll never be back. Now, Gruden's never said he'll never be back."

Lynch added, "In the right situation -- and I think what you look at is quarterback and ownership, those two things -- if [Gruden] finds the perfect situation, I would not be surprised to see him go back."