Super Bowl XLVIII: Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch walks out again
Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch has done just about all he can to tarnish his image during the lead-in to the Super Bowl.
JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- While Richard Sherman has spent Super Bowl week doing everything possible to repair his reputation following his postgame meltdown after the NFC Championship game, teammate Marshawn Lynch has done just about all he could to tarnish his.
A day after walking away from reporters on media day after just six minutes and 20 seconds, Lynch again cut short his session, this time after about seven minutes.
He made it clear he was there simply because he had to be.
"I really don't have too much to say, boss," said Lynch, who then really didn't have much to say. "I really don't. I appreciate it, but I don't get it. I'm just here so I won't get fined, boss. That's the only reason I'm here."
Earlier this season, the NFL fined Lynch $50,000 for not cooperating with the Seattle media. Seahawks fans immediately mounted an online campaign to raise the funds to pay the fine. Lynch appealed the penalty, and when the league put the fine on hold pending Lynch's future behavior, Lynch donated the money to a Seattle charity.
"I mean if y'all say y'all is our bridge from the players to the fans," he said, "and the fans really aren't tripping, then what's the point? What's the purpose? They've got my back and I appreciate that, but I don't get what's the bridge then built for."
That was pretty much it for Lynch, who then left it up to his teammates to answer for him.
"You just kind of understand why some people are mad because that's their job," Seahawks safety Earl Thomas said. "At the same time, he has a lot on his plate also. And he understands. Marshawn's a great guy and there's a reason for everything with him. I never question Marshawn or his motives."
Asked if it was simply a matter of the media misunderstanding those motives, Seahawks defensive tackle Brandon Mebane said no.
"Marshawn's not misunderstood," Mebane said. "Marshawn just does what he does, as far as he likes to play football and he enjoys what he does. Some guys just don't like to talk very much. Marshawn is like a laid back, chill guy. He don't really like to talk that much. He just likes to perform."
Lynch apparently won't be fined for cutting either of the two media sessions short this week.
"Players are required to participate and he participated," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in an email to The Associated Press. "His comments of the past two days have been widely circulated."