Playing for the Seahawks from 2010 to 2015, Lynch was voted to four consecutive
Pro Bowls, made one first-team
All-Pro selection, and twice led the league in rushing touchdowns. He also helped the team win their first
Super Bowl title in
Super Bowl XLVIII. His
Beast Quake touchdown during the
2010–11 NFL playoffs, which saw him rush for 67 yards while breaking nine tackles, is considered one of the greatest runs in NFL history. Lynch retired in 2015 following an injury-plagued year, but returned to the NFL in 2017 to play for the
Oakland Raiders, his hometown team. After two seasons, Lynch retired a second time until he reunited with the Seahawks in 2019 for their last regular season game and playoff run. Since retiring for a third and final time, he has co-owned the
Seattle kraken of the
National Hockey League (NHL),
Beasts of
Fan Controlled Football (FCF) and the
Bay Area Panthers of the
Indoor Football League (IFL).
Early life
Lynch grew up in
Oakland, California, with three older siblings. He was raised by his mother, Delisa, who once held a 200-meter track record at
Oakland Technical High School. Lynch started playing youth football in Oakland at a young age.[4]
At Oakland Tech, Lynch was a four-sport star for the Bulldogs
football,
basketball, track, and
wrestling teams.[11] In his 2003 season, Lynch amassed 1,722 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns in only eight regular season games and an additional 375 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in two postseason games.[12][13] He was voted a
PrepStar and SuperPrep All-American and was also voted the San Francisco East Bay Player of the Year.[14] In
basketball, he played on the Oakland Tech's team alongside future Cal star
Leon Powe.[15] Lynch helped lead his team to the state semi-finals. As an athlete in the Bay Area, Lynch befriended and often played against film director and writer
Ryan Coogler; who also grew up in the same part of Oakland as Lynch.[16]
In addition to football, Lynch excelled in
track and field, where he competed mainly as a sprinter, but also in jumping events. He recorded a personal-best time of 10.94 seconds in the
100-meter dash as a senior, while also posting top-leaps of 1.94 meters (6 ft, 4 in) in the
high jump and 6.38 meters (20 ft, 10 in) in the
long jump.[17]
As a true freshman in
2004, Lynch was the primary backup to senior
J. J. Arrington.[20] In his collegiate debut against
Air Force in the regular season opener, he had seven carries for 92 yards and a touchdown in the 56–14 victory.[21] On November 13, in the 42–12 victory over
Washington, he had nine carries for 121 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns to go along with a 29-yard touchdown reception.[22] One week later, against
Stanford, Lynch had 122 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. In addition, he threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Burl Toler in the 41–6 victory.[23] Overall, Lynch carried the ball 71 times for 628 yards with eight rushing touchdowns and 147 yards on 19 receptions and two receiving touchdowns in his freshman season.[24]
2005 season
In
2005, Arrington had graduated and Lynch became the starting running back. Lynch wore jersey No. 24 his freshman year but switched to No. 10, his high school number. This switch placed him in sequence with his cousins Virdell Larkins, who wore No. 9, and
Robert Jordan, who wore No. 11. Lynch and his cousins were teammates at Cal.[25] Lynch started off the season strong with 24 carries for 147 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in the 41–3 victory over
Sacramento State.[26] Almost a month later, on October 1, he had 107 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in a 28–0 victory over
Arizona.[27] The next week, he had 135 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in the 47–40 loss to
UCLA.[28] On October 22, against
Washington State, he had 160 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in the 42–38 loss.[29] In the next game, a 27–20 loss to
Oregon, he had 189 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.[30] In the regular season finale against the
Stanford Cardinal, he had 123 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in the 27–3 victory.[31] In the
2005 Las Vegas Bowl, Lynch ran for 194 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries and was named MVP against
BYU.[32] Even though he missed two games due to a hand and finger injury, he still amassed 1,246 rushing yards with 10 rushing touchdowns on 196 carries and 125 receiving yards on 15 receptions.[33] He finished fifth in the Pac-10 in rushing yards and sixth in rushing touchdowns.[34]
2006 season
In the
2006 preseason, Lynch earned a spot on the watchlist for the
Maxwell Award, was named 8th best player in the nation by Sports Illustrated, and earned several preseason All-American accolades. In the spring, he joined the Cal Track & Field team, and he competed in the
60-meter dash, recording a personal-best time of 6.98 seconds at the 2006 MPSF Championships.[35]
On July 22, 2006, the Cal football program officially launched the campaign for Lynch to win the 2006
Heisman Trophy with the opening of the website Marshawn10.com, featuring Lynch's highlights from 2004 to 2006.[36]
In the second game of the season, against
Minnesota, Lynch had 139 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in the 42–17 victory.[37] In the next game against
Portland State, he finished with 112 rushing yards and a touchdown in the 42–16 victory.[38] In the following game against
Arizona State, he had 17 carries for 124 yards in the 49–21 victory.[39] In the next game, against
Oregon State, he posted his fourth consecutive 100-yard game with 106 yards and a touchdown in the 41–13 victory.[40] After a 50-yard performance in the 45–24 victory over the
Oregon Ducks, he had 152 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the 21–3 victory over
Washington State.[41][42] In the next game against
Washington, he had another stellar game with 150 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning overtime touchdown, in the 31–24 victory.[43] He later called the run his favorite career highlight, after which Lynch spontaneously drove around the football field in an injury cart, pretending to
ghost ride.[44] Lynch was named to the 2006 All-Pac-10 team First-team for his performance in the 2006 season.[45] Lynch was also named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year in 2006 and an AFCA (Coaches')
All-America in 2006.[46]
In his final game for Cal, Lynch ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the 45–10 victory over
Texas A&M in the
Pacific Life Holiday Bowl on December 28, 2006. He shared the Co-Offensive Player of the Game award with teammate, quarterback
Nate Longshore.[47][48] He finished his final season with Golden Bears with a Pac-10 leading 1,356 rushing yards, 11 rushing touchdowns, 34 receptions, 328 receiving yards, and four receiving touchdowns.[49][50]
Lynch holds the Cal school record for most 100-yard rushing games with 17.[51]
On January 2,
2007, Lynch announced he would forgo his senior season and enter the
2007 NFL draft.[52]
On April 28, 2007, Lynch was selected by the
Buffalo Bills with the 12th overall pick in the first round of the
NFL draft, the second running back taken.[55] He agreed with the Bills to a six-year, $18.935 million contract. The deal included a $3 million signing bonus and contained $10.285 million in total guarantees.[56]
Lynch entered the NFL as the starter at running back for the Bills. In his first career regular season game on September 9, he gained 90 yards on 19 carries and scored his first touchdown in a 14–15 loss to the
Denver Broncos.[57] His breakout game came on November 4 against the
Cincinnati Bengals. Lynch's success on the ground was instrumental in keeping the touted Cincinnati offense on the sidelines, as he rushed 29 times for 153 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown run. Lynch also completed a touchdown pass to tight end
Robert Royal, the first touchdown pass completed by a Bills non-quarterback since running back
Joe Cribbs in
1981.[58][59]
Lynch injured his ankle the following week against the
Miami Dolphins and missed the next three games.[60] He returned to play on December 9 for the Bills' second game against the Miami Dolphins that season, rushing for 107 yards and fumbling for the first time in his NFL career.[61] The game marked the first time the Bills' offense produced two 100-yard rushers since 1996, as
Fred Jackson also rushed for 115 yards.[62] Lynch went over the 1,000-yard rushing mark on December 23 against the
New York Giants, scoring a touchdown in the 21–38 loss, which resulted in the Giants clinching a playoff berth.[63] This made Lynch the fourth Bills rookie to break the 1,000-yard mark, and the first since
Greg Bell in
1984.[64] He closed out the regular season with 105 rushing yards and 22 receiving yards against the
Philadelphia Eagles.[65] He finished a successful rookie season with 1,115 total rushing yards and seven touchdowns.[66] He was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team for the 2007 season.[67]
Lynch was expected to be more involved in Buffalo's passing game in 2008, his second season as a professional. The Bills' new
offensive coordinatorTurk Schonert had stated a number of times that he anticipated Lynch "being in on third down a lot more" this season, citing Lynch's inexperience as a reason he was not very involved in the 2007 season.[68]
2008 season
Lynch started the
2008 season with four rushing touchdowns in his first three games against the
Seattle Seahawks,
Jacksonville Jaguars, and
Oakland Raiders.[69][70][71] He was held to a season low of 16 yards rushing in a Week 9 matchup against the
New York Jets on November 2.[72] He did not break 100 yards rushing in a game until November 17 on a Monday Night Football matchup against the
Cleveland Browns, when he rushed for 119. The game also marked his first receiving touchdown.[73] Two weeks later on November 30, Lynch posted a season-high 134 rushing yards against the
San Francisco 49ers.[74] Lynch went over the 1,000-yard mark for the season on December 14 in a rematch against the Jets when he rushed for 127 yards.[75] He was able to stay healthy until injuring his shoulder in the second half of a Bills victory on December 21 against the
Denver Broncos, during which he rushed for his eighth touchdown of the season.[76] The injury kept him out of the Bills' season finale against the
New England Patriots. Lynch finished the 2008 season with 1,036 yards rushing and eight rushing touchdowns. He posted 300 receiving yards on 47 receptions, including a receiving touchdown, compared to 184 yards on 18 receptions for the 2007 season.[77] Lynch was selected to his first
Pro Bowl, replacing injured
Tennessee Titans running back
Chris Johnson.[78] This made him the first Bills running back to head to the Pro Bowl since
Travis Henry in 2002. Lynch was initially the first alternate.[79]
2009 season
Following his guilty plea on misdemeanor weapons charges during the 2009 off-season, Lynch met with
NFL CommissionerRoger Goodell for a disciplinary hearing. Lynch had been arrested in
Culver City, California, for having a gun in his backpack in the trunk of a car he was occupying, a crime in California.[80] On April 9, the NFL announced that Lynch would be suspended for the Bills' first three games for violations of the NFL's personal conduct policy.[81] Lynch appealed the league's suspension on May 14 in an attempt to have it reduced or nullified, only to have it upheld by Goodell later on August 3.[82] When interviewed on the topic, Lynch has said that he was not surprised when the suspension was upheld and that he loves playing too much and will try to keep himself out of situations in which there is a risk of being suspended.
Lynch played his first game of the
2009 season against the
Miami Dolphins and played the rest of the season.[83] Beginning November 29, he was replaced as the Bills' starting running back by
Fred Jackson, who had the first 1,000-yard rushing season of his career. Lynch finished the season with 450 yards on 120 carries with two rushing touchdowns and did not break 100 rushing yards in a single game for the first time in his career.[84]
2010 season
Lynch suffered an ankle sprain in the Bills' preseason opener against the
Washington Redskins and was expected to be out for three to four weeks.[85] He started three games for the Bills before being traded to the
Seattle Seahawks on October 5 for two draft picks, a fourth-round pick in the
2011 NFL draft and a conditional pick in the
2012 NFL draft,[86] which would become a fifth-round pick.[87]
Seattle Seahawks
2010 season
Lynch then reunited with former Cal roommate and fellow running back
Justin Forsett, a seventh-round draft pick of the Seahawks in 2008. Lynch scored his first touchdown of the season and with the Seahawks on October 17 on a 1-yard run against the
Chicago Bears.[88] On December 5, he scored three touchdowns against the
Carolina Panthers.[89] Lynch had 202 carries for 737 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns during the 2010 season.[90]
In his first career playoff game, against the
New Orleans Saints on January 8, 2011, Lynch had a 67-yard touchdown run in which he broke nine tackles and with one arm threw Saints
cornerbackTracy Porter to the ground.[91][92] This run has become known locally in Seattle as the "
Beast Quake".[93] The play gets its name from Marshawn Lynch's nickname, "Beast Mode", and the fact that, during and after the play, movement from fans jumping in celebration was so intense that it registered on a
seismograph 100 yards from the
stadium.[94] In the Divisional Round against the Chicago Bears, he was limited to four carries for two yards in the 35–24 loss.[95]
2011 season
Lynch started 15 games in
2011, missing only one regular season game, on November 23 due to back problems. Lynch rushed for 1,204 yards and 12 touchdowns, both career bests and posting his first 1,000-yard season since 2008.[96] On December 1, against the
Philadelphia Eagles, he was observed receiving
Skittles from a trainer to celebrate his touchdown.[97] Fans later threw Skittles onto the field after Lynch scored.[98]
On November 6, against the
Dallas Cowboys, Lynch had 135 rushing yards and a touchdown.[99] On December 1, he had his best rushing game of the season with 148 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles.[100] On December 18, he set the franchise record for consecutive games with a touchdown by scoring in his tenth straight game. The previous record of nine was set by
Shaun Alexander in 2005. Lynch would reach 11 consecutive games scoring a touchdown before the streak ended against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17.[101] Lynch led the NFL in rushing yards over the final nine weeks of the season.[102] On January 24, 2012, Lynch was added to the NFC
Pro Bowl roster to replace
San Francisco 49ers running back
Frank Gore.[103][104] He was ranked 94th by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.[105]
On March 4, 2012, Lynch signed a four-year, $31 million contract with the Seahawks.[106]
2012 season
In the second game of the
2012 season, Lynch had 122 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in the 27–7 victory over the
Dallas Cowboys.[107] On September 30, against the St. Louis Rams, he had 118 rushing yards and touchdown in the 19–13 loss.[108] In Weeks 7–10, he posted four consecutive games with at least 100 rushing yards and three consecutive games with a rushing touchdown.[109][110][111][112] In Week 14, in a 58–0 victory over the
Arizona Cardinals, he had 128 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.[113] In the next game, a 50–17 victory over the
Buffalo Bills, he had 113 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.[114] In the penultimate game of the regular season, he had 111 rushing yards and a touchdown in a 42–13 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.[115] The Seahawks finished with an 11–5 record and made the playoffs in the 2012 season.[116] In the
Wild Card Round against the
Washington Redskins, he finished with 132 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in the 24–14 victory.[117] In the
Divisional Round against the
Atlanta Falcons, he had 46 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and 37 receiving yards in the 30–28 loss.[118]
Overall, Lynch started all 16 regular season games, as well as the two playoff games the Seahawks were in. He accumulated 1,590 yards rushing on 315 attempts. He scored 11 touchdowns, his longest being a 77-yard touchdown run. He averaged 19.7 attempts per game and 99.4 yards per game, and over the course of the season, Lynch had an average of 5.05 yards per carry. He fumbled 4 times, and lost two of them.[119][120] Lynch was named as a First-team All-Pro and was elected into the
2013 Pro Bowl as a reserve.[121][122] He was ranked as 24th best player in the league among his peers on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.[123]
2013 season
In Week 2 of the
2013 season against the
San Francisco 49ers, Lynch had 98 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in the 29–3 victory.[124] In a 34–28 loss to the
Indianapolis Colts on October 6, he had 102 rushing yards.[125] On November 3 against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he had 125 rushing yards in the 27–24 victory.[126] He followed that up with 145 rushing yards and a touchdown against the
Atlanta Falcons.[127] In the next game against the
Minnesota Vikings, he added two more rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown.[128] Overall, he was a significant contributor for the Seahawks in the 2013 season, rushing for 1,257 yards and 12 touchdowns, and recording three 100-yard games.[129] He tied with
Jamaal Charles for the league lead in rushing touchdowns.[130] The Seattle Seahawks finished with a 13–3 record and earned a first-round bye in the playoffs.[131][132] In the
Divisional Round against the
New Orleans Saints, he had 140 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in the 23–15 victory.[133] In the
NFC Championship against the San Francisco 49ers, he had 109 rushing yards and a touchdown in the 23–17 victory.[134] He was voted to the
Pro Bowl for the third straight year, but had to decline the appearance due to his participation in
Super Bowl XLVIII.[135] He ended up rushing for 39 yards on 15 carries during that game, including a one-yard rushing touchdown, resulting in the team's first Super Bowl victory by defeating the
Denver Broncos 43–8.[136] He was ranked 14th on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2014.[137]
2014 season
On July 24, 2014, former Seahawks
fullback and good friend
Michael Robinson announced on
NFL Network's Inside Training Camp, that Lynch would hold out of Training Camp while he waited for a restructured contract from the Seahawks.[138] Lynch and the Seahawks quickly agreed to new terms for the season, and Lynch served as the starting running back for the team, ahead of backups
Robert Turbin and
Christine Michael.[139]
In the
2014 season opener, Lynch had 110 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in a 36–16 victory over the
Green Bay Packers.[140] During Week 3 against the
Denver Broncos, he completed the first overtime drive by rushing for a touchdown, giving the Seahawks a 26–20 victory over Denver in a Super Bowl rematch.[141] On November 2, against the
Oakland Raiders, he had 67 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, and 76 receiving yards.[142] In the next game against the
New York Giants, he had a stellar performance with 140 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns in the 38–17 victory.[143] He scored 24 total points in the game, which was tied with
Jonas Gray for the most by any player in a single game in the 2014 season.[144] He continued his successful string of games with 124 rushing yards against the
Kansas City Chiefs in a loss the following week.[145]
Lynch had a career-long 79-yard touchdown run against the
Arizona Cardinals in Week 16, similar to his "Beast Quake" 67-yard scoring run in the 2011 Wild Card Round against the New Orleans Saints.[146] Four days later, Lynch was fined $11,050 by the NFL for his celebration of the score; falling back while extending the ball behind his head and grabbing his crotch. The league considered his celebration an "obscene gesture" to constitute unsportsmanlike conduct.[147] Lynch shared the league lead in rushing touchdowns for the second consecutive season, this time sharing with
DeMarco Murray.[130]
The Seahawks finished with a 12–4 record and earned a first round bye.[148] He was named to the Pro Bowl for the fifth time in his career.[149] In the
Divisional Round against the
Carolina Panthers, he had 59 rushing yards in the 31–17 victory.[150] He contributed heavily to a late comeback in the
NFC Championship against the Green Bay Packers in a rematch of the season-opener, catching a 26-yard pass to set up one touchdown and later scoring a touchdown of his own on a 24-yard run. The Seahawks won 28–22 in overtime after trailing 19–7 with less than four minutes remaining in the game.[151] His 157 rushing yards in the game were a career postseason high for Lynch, as were his 183 total yards from scrimmage.[152]
Lynch made headlines at Super Bowl XLIX Media Day on January 27, 2015, when he held a five-minute press conference, only answering "I'm just here so I won't get fined" to every question. He has a history of unwillingness to talk to the media.[153]
In
Super Bowl XLIX, where the Seahawks lost 28–24 to the
New England Patriots, Lynch had 24 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown, plus a catch for 31 yards.[154] Late in the fourth quarter on a potential game-winning drive, Lynch ran the ball from the five yard line but was tackled by
Dont'a Hightower at the one-yard line.[155][156] On the next offensive play of the game, the Seahawks chose to pass the ball at the one-yard line instead of running it with Lynch, and Russell Wilson's pass was intercepted by
Malcolm Butler. Lynch was visibly upset by the decision and left the Seahawks locker room without addressing the media. He stated in a later interview with Conan O'Brien that he was "expecting the ball" prior to the play.[157] He was ranked ninth by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2015.[158]
2015 season
On March 6, 2015, the Seahawks and Lynch agreed to a 2-year, $24 million contract extension.[159] Lynch struggled to pile up yardage early in the season but starred in Week 7 in a 20–3 win over the rival
San Francisco 49ers, against whom he racked up 122 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries.[160] Midway through the 2015 season, Lynch needed to have
sports hernia surgery.[161] Lynch's backup, undrafted rookie
Thomas Rawls, had a 209-yard game against the 49ers in Week 11.[162]
Ahead of the Seahawks
Wild Card Round matchup against the
Minnesota Vikings, Lynch was anticipated to make his return, but decided to stay behind in Seattle, stating that he felt that he could not play.[163] Seattle went on to win, 10–9.[164] Lynch made his return from injury against the
Carolina Panthers in the
Divisional Round, carrying only six times for 20 yards, and caught two passes for 15 yards in the 31–24 loss.[165]
Initial retirement
On February 7, 2016, the day of
Super Bowl 50, Lynch announced his retirement via
Twitter by posting a picture of his football cleats hanging from a telephone wire.[166] He subsequently became a mentor to the current college football players at Cal.[167]
After his retirement, rumors circulated about Lynch returning to the NFL.[168] In early April 2017, after sitting out the
2016 season, it was reported Lynch had agreed to terms with his hometown
Oakland Raiders and that the Seahawks, who retained his rights even after retirement, would trade him.[169] Lynch said he was inspired to come out of retirement by
the team's impending move to Las Vegas saying that he wanted children currently growing up in Oakland to be able to see a home-grown football star play for the Raiders before the team is gone.[170]
Oakland Raiders
On April 26, 2017, Lynch officially passed his physical and was traded to the Oakland Raiders along with Seattle's sixth-round draft pick for Oakland's fifth-round selection in the
2018 NFL draft.[171] Lynch signed a two-year, $9 million contract with a maximum of $16.5 million; it had a $2 million bonus for 1,000 rushing yards for the season.[172][173][174]
2017 season
In the Raiders' regular season opener on the road against the
Tennessee Titans, Lynch finished with 18 carries for 76 rushing yards along with one reception for 16 yards in a 26–16 win.[175] On September 14, Lynch was fined $12,000 for doing an obscene gesture.[176] In Week 2 against the
New York Jets, he had his first touchdown as a Raider, which was a two-yard rush in the second quarter, in the 45–20 victory.[177] During Thursday Night Football against the
Kansas City Chiefs in Week Seven, Lynch was ejected for running onto the field and shoving an official following a hit by Chiefs cornerback
Marcus Peters on Raiders quarterback
Derek Carr.[178][179] The next day, the NFL suspended Lynch for one game.[180] Lynch attempted to appeal, but the suspension was upheld.[181] During Sunday Night Football against the
Dallas Cowboys in Week 15, Lynch confronted officials about Derek Carr not scoring while a fumble and touchback occurred; on December 21, Lynch was fined $24,309.[182]
During the regular season finale, in a loss against the
Los Angeles Chargers, Lynch became the 31st player in NFL history
to rush for over 10,000 rushing yards.[183] Overall, in the 2017 season, he finished with 207 carries for 891 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns to go along with 20 receptions for 151 receiving yards.[184]
2018 season
Lynch returned to the Raiders' backfield for the
2018 season opener under new head coach
Jon Gruden.[185] He recorded a rushing touchdown in the first three games of the season against the
Los Angeles Rams,
Denver Broncos, and
Miami Dolphins, all losses for the Raiders.[186][187][188] In Week 4, he recorded 20 carries for 130 rushing yards in the 45–42 overtime victory over the
Cleveland Browns.[189] On October 22, Lynch was placed on injured reserve with a groin injury.[190] Overall, he finished the 2018 season with 90 carries for 376 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in six games.[191] After the 2018 season, Lynch's plans were to not play football again and retire.[192]
Seattle Seahawks (second stint)
Lynch returned to the NFL during the final week of the
2019 regular season, signing with the Seahawks alongside former teammate
Robert Turbin on December 23, 2019, after Seattle lost three running backs to injury.[193][194] Lynch made his debut with the Seahawks in Week 17 against the
San Francisco 49ers on NBC Sunday Night Football. During the game, Lynch rushed 12 times for 34 yards and a touchdown in the 26–21 loss.[195] During the Seahawks' 17–9 win over the
Philadelphia Eagles in the
Wild Card Round of the playoffs, Lynch broke a tackle to score a five-yard, first half touchdown.[196] In the
Divisional Round against the
Green Bay Packers, Lynch rushed 12 times for 26 yards and two touchdowns during the 28–23 loss.[197]
With his three additional playoff touchdowns in the
2019–20 NFL playoffs, Lynch moved into fourth place on the all-time postseason rushing touchdowns list. He is tied with
Terrell Davis and
John Riggins with 12.[198]
During a postgame interview on January 12, 2020, Lynch was asked if he'll return for the Seahawks in the
2020 NFL season. "I mean, shoot," he responded, "We'll see what's happening."[199] In media ahead of the
2020 NFL Scouting Combine, Seahawks head coach
Pete Carroll was also asked about Lynch returning and said "We'll see. You never know."[200] Lynch was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-2010s Team.[201]
Potential return to the NFL
In a December 2020 interview with
Conan O'Brien, Lynch said that teams have expressed interest in signing him and that he is willing to sign with a team that is a
Super Bowl contender.[202]
The nickname "Beast Mode" became a popular way to refer to Lynch and his style of play.[233][234][235] While the term was in use since 1996 with the debut of the animated Transformers series Beast Wars, Lynch claims it developed as his nickname because one of his childhood coaches would refer to him as a beast.[236]
Lynch has since developed the nickname into his Beast Mode brand, which includes an apparel line, retail store, and at least one partnership with international brands.[237] The first Beast Mode store opened in
Oakland, California on February 7, 2016, during Super Bowl 50.[238] On April 8, 2015, rapper
Ludacris released the video for his single "Beast Mode," named after Lynch, who appears in the video. Ludacris mimics Lynch's interview at the Super Bowl media day by saying "I'm just here so I won't get fined" to reporters before Lynch comes in and adds "You know why we here". Lynch makes a cameo in the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops III.[239] He also appeared in the fourth episode of the sixth season of Tanked where they created a special fish tank for "BeastMode" first aired June 19, 2015.[240] He is featured in the game Predator: Hunting Grounds as the playable character "Dante 'Beast Mode' Jefferson".
Lynch was approached by former Pro BMX rider Todd Lyons, who noticed that Lynch rode his BMX products. Lyons, acting as the current brand manager for SE Bikes BMX company, partnered with Marshawn to create a Beast Mode Ripper: an adult-sized BMX bike with customized Beast Mode branding as a 2018 SE Bicycle.[241][242]
On September 19, 2017, Lynch launched his own ad-supported Beast Mobile cellphone service that allows subscribers to pay their phone bill by engaging in ads and offers.[243]
In 2019, Lynch was also announced as co-owner of the
Oakland Panthers of the
Indoor Football League (IFL) alongside Roy Choi, who also owns the IFL's
Cedar Rapids River Kings and
San Diego Strike Force.[246] Introduced to Choi by his brother Davonte Sapp-Lynch who plays in the IFL, Lynch saw the
indoor football team as a way to keep professional football in Oakland after the departure of the Raiders for Las Vegas.[247] Davonte Sapp-Lynch was one of the first players the Panthers signed.[248] The Panthers were to start playing in the
2020 season, but it was cancelled after the opening week due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. The Panthers also went dormant for the 2021 season.[249]
NFLPA Brand Chief Ambassador
In October 2021, Lynch was named the first
NFLPA brand chief ambassador.[250][251]
While in Buffalo, Lynch embraced the
Buffalo community, in stark contrast to former Bills running back
Willis McGahee, as noted in an interview with ESPN's
Kenny Mayne. In the video interview, which has become an internet sensation, Lynch talks about his love of
Applebee's and his teammates joke that he loves chain restaurants. Lynch is also known for his frequent community involvement. In 2013, he was featured in Red Bull's campaign "Athletes Give Back" when he put together a successful food drive for his hometown.[256] During his first stint in Seattle, Lynch once gave his backpack to junior teammate
Doug Baldwin after Baldwin had inquired where he got it from. When the Seahawks defensive coordinator
Ken Norton Jr's father died, Lynch was the only member of the organization who went to console him at the airport. In 2014, he found a lost wallet outside Seattle at a gas station. Lynch went to the address to return it.[257]
Lynch frequently ate Skittles during games, a habit that started when he was in high school.[258] After Lynch was shown eating the candy during a nationally televised game on December 5, 2011,
Mars offered him a two-year supply of Skittles and a custom dispenser for his locker.[259] On December 30, 2011, he was fined $10,000 for wearing cleats featuring a Skittles pattern.[260][261] On January 28, 2014, an official deal with Skittles was announced. The agreement stated that in addition to personal compensation, $10,000 would be donated to his Fam First Foundation for each touchdown he scored in Super Bowl XLVIII.[262]
Lynch also has an affinity for purchasing
grills, saying he has been wearing the gold jewelry since his junior year in high school. After the 2011 season, Lynch purchased a customized Seahawks grill in time for the 2012 season.[263]
Lynch is an entrepreneur in the
cannabis industry, launching a line of
cannabis products in 2021 under the brand name Dodi Blunts.[264][265] The company distributes
blunts to
dispensaries throughout the
Bay Area, with a portion of the proceeds going to
Last Prisoner Project, a drug policy reform group.[266][267] Lynch says he has been a long-time consumer of cannabis and that it helped him deal with pain during his football career.[267]
Lynch started his own charitable foundation called the Fam1st Family Foundation in 2006 to give back to his hometown of Oakland, California.[272]
Legal troubles
In June 2008, Lynch pled guilty to a hit and run charge and had his driver's license revoked. Lynch was driving his 2008
Porsche Cayenne at 3:30 a.m. through Buffalo's bar district when he struck a woman in the street and failed to stop. When questioned, Lynch stated, "I didn't know my car had hit anyone or anything."[273]
The California Highway Patrol arrested Lynch for driving under the influence (DUI) on July 14, 2012, after he was observed driving erratically. He was reported to have registered a blood-alcohol level of 0.10 on a
breathalyzer at the
Alameda County Sheriff's Office North County Jail in Oakland. He was incarcerated hours before hosting a youth football camp. A motion to dismiss the case was denied in November 2013, but in December the trial date was pushed back until after the NFL season. Lynch's attorney, Ivan Golde, accused the police of bending the truth and changing stories to try to convict Lynch.[274][275] The case was settled in February 2014 when Lynch pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of
reckless driving.[276] Lynch received two years of probation and a $1,033 fine, and had to attend drivers' safety classes, but did not have his license suspended.[277]
On August 9, 2022, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers arrested Lynch on suspicion of DUI near the
Las Vegas Strip.[278] The police report stated that Lynch was found asleep in a parked car that had noticeable damage. Lynch was charged with driving under the influence, as well as three other crimes. He posted bail of $3,381 and was released. Lynch's lawyers disputed the charges.[279]
Press interviews
Lynch is known for being reluctant to talk to the media.[280] He was fined $50,000 by the
NFL for refusing to talk to the media throughout the
2013 NFL season,[281] which inspired fans of the Seattle Seahawks to fundraise that amount.[282] However, the fine was subsequently pulled back in an agreement that he would be fined another $50,000 if he broke the same rule,[283] after which he donated the money raised by Seahawks fans to pay his fine to charity.[284] Lynch was fined $100,000 on November 19, 2014, for once again refusing to speak to the media.[285] A few days later, after the Seahawks' win over Arizona, he answered nearly every question from reporters with "Yeah".[286] On December 21, 2014, after the second Seahawks–Cardinals game, he answered nearly every question from reporters with some version of "Thanks for asking" or "I appreciate you asking."[287] The only people to get an "extended interview" were
Deion Sanders,[288] former teammate turned analyst Michael Robinson, and
Michael Silver,[289] in which they discovered his reluctance came from his upbringing and the fact that he felt that he was "forced to do something".[290] On January 27, 2015, during Super Bowl Media Day in Glendale, Arizona, Lynch continued the trend of declining to give detailed media interviews by showing up for five minutes, and answering every question with some variation of "I'm just here so I won't get fined,"[291][292] and the following day "You know why I'm here."[293]
In popular culture
Four days before
Super Bowl XLIX, Lynch appeared in a guest segment on Conan, playing a head-to-head game of the then-unreleased Mortal Kombat X against prospective Super Bowl opponent tight end
Rob Gronkowski. Contrary to his media appearances earlier that week, Lynch appeared upbeat and loquacious, discussing his fondness of Mario Kart and explaining his touchdown celebration moves. The video went viral, was widely covered in media,[294][295][296] and gathered about 8 million views before the Super Bowl. Lynch re-appeared on the show prior to
Super Bowl LI along with Gronkowski,
Tom Brady,
LeGarrette Blount, and
Dwight Freeney playing the game For Honor.[297]
Lynch appeared as himself, in an episode of
Brooklyn 99 in 2017. In the episode
The Fugitive (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Lynch is an eyewitness to a convict escape. The show references his reluctance to talk to the press during his NFL days, and Detective
Rosa Diaz says of Lynch, "There are some vaults you just can't open." Lynch goes on to talk nonstop to the team.
The 2019 documentary film Marshawn Lynch: A History explores the roots of Lynch's reticence.[298]
Lynch appeared as himself alongside Will Arnett in an episode of Murderville, a comedic murder-mystery streaming television series released by
Netflix in February 2022.[299] Within the episode, Lynch improvises alongside Arnett and attempts to solve a fictional murder mystery.
Lynch played a high school teacher in the 2023 teen comedy
Bottoms.[301][302] In December 2023, Lynch appeared on Lego Masters second installment of its "Celebrity Holiday Bricktacular", teaming up with contestant Dave Guedes.[303]
On May 13, 2024, Lynch appeared on
Ian's "Figure It Out" music video.[304]
^Bergman, Barry (September 13, 2006).
"Learning to love the bomb". www.berkeley.edu.
Archived from the original on December 8, 2019. Retrieved December 8, 2019.