Jordan Lynch, '13: Proving Hard Work Always Wins
By Lia Kizilbash Gillet
Jordan Lynch, '13, Huskie Football quarterback 2009-2013, wins fourth state championship as head football coach of Mount Carmel High School. (Photo Credit: Jerrold D. Berry | Alpha Photography)
When former Huskie quarterback Jordan Lynch, ’13, arrived at NIU his freshman year in 2009, he wanted to be the hardest-working athlete on the field. He was confident it would lead to extraordinary things.
Lynch went on to set five NCAA records and 25 school records, all while recording a 23-game, regular-season undefeated streak as a starter. He fell in love with NIU and the people surrounding it—and Huskie Football fans admired him.
Fans watched Lynch’s 12 100-yard rushing games and nine 200-yard passing games during the 2012 season. They cheered when NIU Football became the first Mid-American Conference (MAC) team to appear in a Bowl Championship Series game (Orange Bowl, 2013) with Lynch as the starting quarterback.
NIU was ranked as high as 16th in the national polls and finished the 2012 season with a record of 12-2, including the MAC championship.
In 2013, Lynch was recognized as a Heisman Trophy award finalist, earning the highest finish ever by a player from the MAC.
Today, Lynch’s hard work pays dividends in the form of Huskie Pride.
In 2024, he was inducted into the NIU Athletics Hall of Fame and the MAC Hall of Fame.
“It was a great honor that wouldn’t have been possible without the coaching staff or my teammates,” Lynch said. “My NIU experience molded me into who I am today. I had a lot of great mentors and teachers that taught me the right way.”
Most recently, as head football coach at his alma mater, Mount Carmel High School, Lynch led the team to win their fourth state championship (2024) with him as head coach, bringing Mount Carmel to a record 16 state football championships.
He attributes his success to having had many great coaches and mentors, like former NIU Head Coach Jerry Kill, who was pivotal in bringing him to NIU. Still, he recognizes his parents, Shelia and Jim, for making him a strong, driven football player and instilling the confidence to chase his dreams.
“Growing up, I dreamed of being a professional football player,” Lynch said. “My family was the backbone of my success. My parents supported and believed in me, even when I sometimes didn’t believe in myself.”
Lynch said playing youth sports taught him about hard work, sacrifice, time management, and working together to reach a common goal, all things that helped prepare him for the future.
He chose NIU—the only school to offer him an athletic scholarship as a freshman—and created many great memories, including bonding with teammates and experiencing the support of the administration and fan base.
“NIU is a family,” Lynch said. “It’s a community of close, tight-knit people. There are alumni throughout the entire nation that truly love Huskie Football and the school.”
Upon graduating, Lynch briefly played for the Chicago Bears before joining the Canadian Football League where he scored the game-winning touchdown and led the Edmonton Eskimos to the 2015 Grey Cup Championship. In 2017, he returned to NIU as its running back coach before taking on the role of head football coach at Mount Carmel High School in 2018.
“My professional football career helped me to become a head coach today,” Lynch said. “It strengthened my work ethic and time management skills, and I was always a captain leader, so it's a natural fit for me to do what I do today!”
Lynch refers to Mount Carmel and NIU as “home” and “family.” His brother, Justin, also a Huskie, just completed his third season as an NIU Football running back.
Mount Carmel helped grow Lynch's love for the game and build his confidence, so he was thrilled to return and give back.
“The year coaching at NIU was an absolute blast,” Lynch said. “I never thought I would coach in high school, but now that I am, I love every second. My players have a voice on the team; I’m a players’ coach. I’ve learned it’s not how much I know; it’s how much the players know, and when I receive full buy-in from the players, that’s when the team really takes off.
“I also learned first-hand that hard work WORKS!”