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Johnnie Lynn enters his 14th NFL campaign and third overall season in San Francisco (second consecutive) after being named the 49ers secondary coach on February 14, 2006. He shares the secondary duties with Vance Joseph. It marks the second time in Lynn’s coaching career that he has tutored the 49ers defensive backs unit, his first was in 1996. In 2006, Lynn’s defensive expertise helped the unit make significant strides in both experience and performance. Under Lynn’s tutelage, veteran CB Walt Harris was able to have a career year as he intercepted an NFC-best eight passes and earned NFC Defensive Player of the Month honors in November as well as his first career Pro Bowl nod. Shawntae Spencer continued to show playmaking flair after leading the secondary with 74 tackles, two sacks and one interception, and two new regulars in the starting lineup, SS Mark Roman and FS Keith Lewis proved to add a hard-hitting, tenacious presence in the back lines of defense. Lynn previously served as secondary coach of the Baltimore Ravens in 2004 and 2005. Lynn spent the 2004 season under Head Coach Mike Nolan when he served as the defensive coordinator for the Ravens. That season, the Ravens secondary unit accounted for six of the team’s seven defensive touchdowns. Lynn also coached two Ravens defensive backs to earn starting Pro Bowl nods SS Ed Reed and CB Chris McAlister. Prior to joining the Ravens, Lynn spent seven seasons with the New York Giants, serving five seasons (1997-01) as secondary coach before being promoted to defensive coordinator for the 2002 and 2003 seasons. In his first season as defensive coordinator, the Giants stingy defense ranked third in the NFL in scoring defense, allowing only 17.4 points per game. The Giants also finished ninth in total yardage defense (309.3 ypg) and ninth in passing defense (194.9 ypg). While Lynn mentored the defensive backs, the team consistently had one of the NFL’s best pass defenses. One came in the 2000 NFC Championship Game, when the Giants limited Cris Carter, Randy Moss and the Vikings to just five catches for 60 yards. Lynn was also instrumental in helping to develop a throng of talented defensive backs including Will Allen, William Peterson, Shaun Williams and Jason Sehorn to name a few. Prior to coaching defensive backs for the 49ers in 1996, Lynn served as the secondary coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1994 and 1995. Before moving into the NFL coaching ranks, Lynn served in a number of coaching capacities at the University of Arizona from 1987-93. He started as the Wildcats graduate assistant in 1987, and was elevated to outside linebackers coach (1988-91) before taking over the defensive backs (1992-93). Lynn enjoyed an eight-year NFL career (1979-86) with the New York Jets as a cornerback and safety. He originally joined the Jets as a fourth-round draft pick out of UCLA. He ended his career 10th on the Jets career interception list with 17 interceptions. A four-year letterman at UCLA, Lynn played on four bowl teams and garnered All-Pacific 10 honors as a senior. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history. | 