COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) Anthony Lynn has a busy stretch ahead before the Los Angeles Chargers report to camp on July 24.
While many in the NFL try to relax in the five weeks between minicamp and training camp, Lynn plans on getting his family foundation off the ground as well as open a new school in Africa.
”With the Africa trip and everything it seems like I have a lot going on, but when I’m not coaching football, I am passionate about other things,” Lynn said.
Lynn and his wife, Stacey, launched the Lynn Family Foundation two months ago. Their first significant fundraising event will be a golf tournament in Dallas on June 24.
A couple days later, Lynn will be heading to Tanzania to open a school for students in kindergarten through seventh grade. The goal is to eventually educate kids through 12th grade. Lynn’s foundation has partnered with Common Threadz to build the school.
”There was a certain place in Tanzania where they didn’t have schools and teenagers were going into the military and young ladies were getting hauled off into sex trafficking,” Lynn said. ”We thought that we needed education there. I helped a little bit and we’re going to go open it up.”
Lynn also realizes his foundation can have a bigger impact if the Chargers can continue their success from last season, which he says has motivated him to become a better coach.
Lynn began his break by visiting with Ventura police officer Craig Kelly, who was one of the first responders who saved Lynn’s life when he was struck by a drunk driver in 2005.
He suffered two collapsed lungs and three broken ribs as well as major facial and shoulder damage that required four surgeries. Lynn met the four first responders who saved his life last year at a fire station in Pasadena during the shooting of a Verizon ad highlighting the work of first responders.
”I am surprised how much people comment about the ad because it is something I have been dealing with all my life,” he said. ”I just want them to receive the credit. They were heroes even before my incident.”
Lynn said he plans to visit the scene of the accident for the first time and may also do a ride-along with Kelly.
Lynn will end his break by participating in the American Century Celebrity Golf Tournament in Lake Tahoe in early July. After that, it’ll be time to prepare for the season.
The Chargers were 12-4 last season and made the playoffs for the first time since 2013. Lynn said he was pleased with how the team handled the past couple months of OTAs and minicamp amid the expectations that surround a possible Super Bowl contender.
”We have a lot of the core guys returning and I feel good about where we are at,” Lynn said. ”You could tell from Day 1 we are on the same page.”
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