The NFL levied another fine Thursday against Marshawn Lynch, a $20,000 hit for making an obscene (crotch grab) gesture following his 24-yard touchdown with 1:25 left in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s NFC Championship game against Green Bay. The league docked Lynch $11,000 for a similar gesture after he scored a touchdown against Arizona in Week 16.
According to NFL.com, the NFL is also considering fining Lynch again for not speaking to the media following the Seahawks’ improbable victory over the Packers. Lynch recently lost an appeal to have a previous $100,000 fine overturned for failing to meet his media obligations.
Unless Lynch starts talking, next week could become an expensive one for the Seahawks running back.
According to ESPN, the NFL is contemplating fining Lynch “significantly more” than the $50,000 it has fined him in each of the past two seasons. Lynch is required to talk to reporters next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
An NFL official said there would be “increasing fines” for each session Lynch misses, with each fine being more than the two $50,000 fines already imposed and the upcoming fine that is expected soon.
According to the official, the NFL and the Seahawks are in discussions about the best way to handle Lynch.
19 Comments
First we have the league attempting to”force” Marshawn to speak publicly when he is clearly uncomfortable with it. Next he is fined for a 2 second gesture endorsed by MLB as a main component by players of almost every play (AKN as “adjusting”) and one Michael Jackson spent the better part of a Super Bowl halftime show performing. I would call this Bullying by the NFL. Time for a counter suit! Another “Chip” – Go Hawks!!
I think someone, in an earlier article, pointed out the difference between a cup adjustment (unsightly perhaps, but not obscene), and a “take that” crotch grab-and-lift. Clearly different intentions.
As for forcing Marshawn to talk to the press, the NFL does seem a bit heavy-handed there.
It’s part of the CBA. End of story.
beast mode could just show up and say “i’ve told you everything i know” and “i have no explanation for that” over and over. see belichick, bill http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/01/bill-belichick-deflate-tom-brady-cheat-super-bowl-press-conference
at least lynch didn’t get suspended for deflating his balls. brady suspension? meet the pats superbowl qb jimmy garropolo:
http://www.patriots.com/team/roster/Jimmy-Garoppolo/60cec721-fb31-4d2d-acb7-88db1aa3bd5b
lynch has no balls
undeflateable ballz:
https://twitter.com/shunyata2000/status/558346574045016064/photo/1
As the old line from the Ricky Nelson song goes, “you can’t please everybody, so ya got to please yourself.”
Third times a charm?
It seems to me that Lynch’s gestures are in poor taste and he should not be doing that.
As for speaking to the press, unfortunately the players’ union agreed contractually to that, so for now the players are legally obligated to comply. The solution would be for the players’ union in the next contract negotiations to dig their heels in and adamantly refuse to force players to talk to the media and let that be optional. It’s not like there are no players willing to be interviewed. The vast majority, if not all, players (except Lynch) are eager to talk to the press. It’s not like Lynch’s refusal to do so is preventing reporters from feeding their families.
If it weren’t for the fact that the NFL loves to throw its weight around, they would tell the reporters to let Lynch alone and talk to virtually anyone else on the team.
The amount of the fines being levied on ML are insignificant to the millions of dollars he’s paid. ML seems OK with the pay to play antics.
clay matthews got fined $2000 more for his cheap shot on wilson post-interception, which, if memory serves, failed to draw a flag from the refs.
NFL math. Grabbing balls > deflating balls.
Maybe he’s just itchy?
God this just makes me sick…. He obviously has social anxiety issues. Leave him alone. Let him do what he’s paid to do; play football.
Reportedly this all stems from how he feels the media mistreated him in Buffalo. He doesn’t trust media types after that.
It won’t get him the Nabisco endorsement, but Marshawn wouldn’t be the first athlete to take his public persona to the next level by being a badass. With the right management he might turn a profit on those fines.
I’m really growing weary of the NFL
NFL: “You guys go out there and try to kill each other, okay?”
Players: Can we touch our crotches?
NFL: “Fuck no.”