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The Denver Broncos took a gamble on quarterback Paxton Lynch during the 2016 NFL Draft, selecting him in the first round that year in one of the biggest upsets of the event.
However, the former Memphis Tigers standout would only play five NFL games before bouncing around the league from one practice squad to another. He was last seen on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster in 2020.
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Denver Broncos quarterback Paxton Lynch throws a pass against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason game at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on August 30, 2018. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports)
Lynch was trying to find a route back to the NFL and landed with the Colorado Spartans of the National Arena League ahead of the 2026 season. He was in his third game with the Spartans when he suffered a torn LCL.
“I got angry,” he told the Denver Post. “And it sucks. I didn’t want it to be like that.”
Lynch seemed to take solace in being able to play again, even if it was in an indoor soccer league. He suggested he was up to the challenge.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Paxton Lynch practices at Heinz Field during the Steelers’ 2020 training camp on August 4, 2020, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers)
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“I thought, ‘Okay, if I play football this year, I’m going to play like Paxton Lynch. I’m going to have complete confidence in myself. I don’t really care.’ And that’s what I did,” he told the newspaper.
“It felt good to do that again.”
He had three touchdown passes in three games with Colorado. Javin Kilgo replaced him at quarterback. In five games, Colorado is 2-3.
Orlando Guardians quarterback Paxton Lynch drops back to pass against the Houston Roughnecks in the first quarter at TDECU Stadium in Houston, Texas, on February 18, 2023. (Thomas Shea/USA TODAY Sports)
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Lynch told the Denver Post that he wasn’t sure if he would play in 2027, but if the National Arena League is where he finished his career, he said he was fine with that.
