Anthony Lynn is a firm believer in giving back as much as possible.
It's part of his core values, instilled in him at a young age.
While it's always been an important part of his life, serving as the Chargers' head coach affords him a larger platform to spark change in the world.
So, while he's always been a tireless champion of causes, from supporting Chargers initiatives to an upcoming visit to help build a school in Tanzania and much more, he's now taking things to a new level through the launch of his own foundation.
Along with his wife, Stacey, the pair officially launched the Lynn Family Foundation in early April. Its mission statement is to help individuals recognize and achieve their potential in their personal and professional lives through mentorship, scholarships and experiences.
So, after a lifetime of already giving back to the community, why the decision to now launch a foundation?
"We had some people sit down and talk with us, and asked if we ever thought about starting a foundation," Lynn explained. "And we really hadn't. But, we just feel like through a foundation we could probably raise more money and do more things. We can have a greater impact. That's the motive behind the foundation because we've already been active. But we just feel like we can organize things better through a foundation."
While there are several causes near and dear to their hearts, it didn't take long to realize what the Lynn Family Foundation would focus on.
"It's something that I've always felt," he said. "If you asked me what's something in this world I'd do for free, working with young people would be one of them. Even back when I was playing with the Broncos, I was a part time youth pastor at a church in Denver. I just loved being around young people, watching them grow and develop. We love working with young people, whether that's providing opportunities they may not have had or mentoring. I like to see people reach their full potential, or at least pursue that. I think that's living. As people get older, it gets kind of hard to crack the code on them, but doing it with young people and raising kids, I'm passionate about that."
Lynn has accomplished so much already in the NFL. From a Super Bowl Champion during his playing days to the head coach of a Chargers team that boasted the best record in the AFC a year ago.
However, while that's been a meaningful and important part of his life, he knows impacting lives through his foundation is something that will lead to an even richer and fuller life.
"I'd love to look back 20 to 30 years from now and be like, 'Man, we really did help make a difference,'" he said. "I just think we all have a purpose in life, and that's to be a blessing to others. This is just something that I'm passionate about, and something I want to act on while I can. At the same time, by no means will I let that get in the way of my professional life's work. But I think it actually makes me a better coach, because I know the better I do as a football coach, the greater impact I can have on somebody's life."
