Notre Dame announces death of Hall of Famer Jim Lynch

Jim Lynch, who starred at Notre Dame and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, has died. He was 76.

The Fighting Irish announced his passing on Thursday via Twitter, sending condolences to his friends, family and teammates. Lynch played two years at Notre Dame in 1965 and 1966 before becoming a second-round pick in the 1967 NFL Draft.

He was a unanimous All-American and won the Maxwell Award, which to the best all-around player in college football, in 1966. That year, Lynch led Notre Dame with 106 tackles to help anchor the defense for the second straight year. Overall during his time in South Bend, he had 214 tackles. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1992.

Notre Dame tweeted the news of Lynch’s death with a quote from the late, great Ara Parseghian, summing up the type of player he was for the Fighting Irish.

“I am often asked who was the best player to coach and Jim Lynch always comes to mind,” Parseghian said. “He was All-America in every sense – talented, hard-nosed, and honest.”

The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Lynch No. 47 overall in 1967 and he played for them until his retirement in 1977. He was a two-time second team All-AFL selection, helped the Chiefs to a Super Bowl IV title and is a member of the Chiefs Hall of Fame. During his NFL career, he had 17 interceptions — including one pick-six — and 14 fumble recoveries.

The news comes just two days after Notre Dame announced the death of Paul Duncan, a 2009 graduate and former offensive lineman. Duncan, 35, went into cardiac arrest during a run, his wife explained on Instagram.

“Friday July 15th, Paul went into cardiac arrest while on a run in our neighborhood,” Ellen Duncan wrote. “[Saturday] he was pronounced brain dead. We will have a medical examination to understand cause of death.

“His body will be donated to people in need of organs and to medical research. Details on funeral arrangements to follow. Thank you for your prayers and support.”