San Francisco assistant head coach and running backs Coach Anthony Lynn spent two of six seasons as player with the 49ers (1995-1996) – the two seasons Carroll spent with the team as defensive coordinator. On the latest episode of The Adam Schefter Podcast, Lynn reflects on the bond built with his former-coach-turned-peer over three decades.
“Pete was here when I played here with the 49ers,” said Lynn. “He was our defensive coordinator, so I got to know Pete very well. And we were friends, we’re still friends to this day. But his energy, his passion and excitement for the game – it’s untouchable. He’s 72-years-old, and I just told him when I just saw him ‘You look 60.’ I don’t know what the hell he’s eating or drinking, but he’s taking care of himself. The thing I remember the most about Pete was training camp. My room was by Pete’s room in training camp, and I’m a player. And I’d have to go over to his room at midnight, knock on his door and say, ‘Coach, can you turn the music down.’ He would be blaring that music, man. And if he wasn’t listening to music, he was playing the guitar or something. It was always something with Pete, he just had a lot of energy. But the guys play so hard for him, because that passion, that energy. You saw it play out on the football field. To this day, when I think of turnovers. As an offensive coach, you’re always thinking about ways to protect the football. And I can’t help but to think about Pete Carroll, because I would say Tony Dungy and Pete Carroll are the two coaches that really sparked that turnover – takeaway/giveaway ratio. They started preaching that, they started practicing that, and now everybody is doing it. That’s how you win and lose in this league – turning over the ball and keeping the ball. So, I give Pete a lot of credit for that.”
Lynn continued by reflecting on Carroll’s advice in-terms of getting a second-chance as head coach after spending 2017-2020 as the leader of the Los Angeles Chargers.
“I’ve talked to Pete every now and then,” said Lynn. “And we’ve talked about this. It took me about a year to be removed from being a head coach before I could start seeing the things that I could’ve done differently. One of the things I wanted to do right away was change that culture. I thought we did that right away when I got there. We won that first year, we tied for the best record in the AFC. Second-year, we lost to Coach (Bill) Belichick in the second…
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