Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch finally opened up Thursday in his NFL-mandated media session, expressing frustration over why he is being forced to speak with reporters when he feels he has nothing to say.
It was the third day in a row Lynch made himself available after the NFL, citing the collective bargaining agreement, reportedly threatened to fine Lynch $500,000 fine if he didn’t cooperate.
During Tuesday’s Media Day, Lynch repeatedly said “I’m just here so I won’t get fined.” Wednesday, the phrase du jour was, “You know why I’m here.”
In his final interview of the week before the Seahawks meet the Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX, Lynch began with an opening statement that was more of a lecture, before sidestepping questions, then departing when he reached the mandatory minimum five minutes.
He again wore a hat and sunglasses from his recently launched “Beast Mode” clothing line, which could draw a fine for violating the league’s apparel policy.
“Hey, look, all week, I done told y’all what’s up and for some reason y’all continue to come back,” Lynch said at the team’s hotel. “You do the same that y’all did. I don’t know what story you are trying to get out of me. I don’t know what image y’all are trying to portray of me. But it don’t matter what y’all think, what y’all say about me. Because when I go home at night, the same people I look in the face — my family — that I love, that’s all that really matters to me. So y’all can go and make up whatever y’all want to make up because I don’t say enough to put anything out on me.
“But I’ll come to y’all’s event (media briefings) and you can shove cameras and microphones down my throat. And when I’m at home in my environment, I don’t see y’all. But y’all are mad at me. And if y’all ain’t mad at me, then what y’all here for? I ain’t got nothing for y’all, though. I told you all that. So y’all should know that. But y’all will sit here like right now and continue to do the same thing. I’m here preparing for a game and y’all want to ask me all these questions, which is understandable. I can be down with that.
“But I told y’all, I’m not about to say nothing. So for the remainder of my three minutes because I’m here and available for y’all. I’m here. I’m available for y’all. I done talked. All of my requirements are fulfilled. So now for this next three minutes, I’ll just be looking at y’all the way y’all are looking at me. Thank you.”
Pressed by reporters, Lynch gave shout-outs to teammates, his Family First Foundation, Oakland, CA, his hometown, and to “real Africans.”
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I’m just reading and posting so I don’t mow the lawn.
Springtime in January! Can’t beat that!
What, it’s only raining straight down up there, instead of sideways?
He’s an idiot – who cares? Dumb and dumber. He runs with a football people.
If he was a Pat or Niner, Hawk fans would agree with me.
Yes they would. By the way, what is a “real African?” Haile Selassie? Jomo Kenyatta? Robert Mugabe? Curious comment, although I have an idea who it was aimed at.