Apparently, Marshawn Lynch will talk to the media — as long as it’s the Turkish media. In Turkey along with former Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams and Cleveland Browns tight end Gary Barnidge for an American Football Without Barriers camp, Lynch said he was expecting the ball on the hugely debated play that sealed Seattle’s 28-24 loss to New England in Super Bowl XLIX.
Lynch did not speak to American nor other world media following the game, but was asked during an interview with NTV Spor, Turkey’s leading sports network, what he thought of Seattle’s final offensive final play, when QB Russell Wilson threw a pass to Ricardo Lockette that was intercepted at the one-yard line by Malcolm Butler, handing the game to New England.
“This is a team game,” Lynch told the network. “To be honest with you, I would be lying if I didn’t tell you that I was expecting the ball. Yes, I was expecting the ball. But in life, these things happen. Like I told a reporter after the game, it’s a team sport.
“I had no problem with the decision of the play calling. I mean, you know, I think it was more of a . . . how do I say this? When you look at me, and you let me run that ball in, I am the face of the nation. You know, MVP of the Super Bowl, that’s pretty much the face of the nation at that point of time.
“I don’t know what went into that call. I mean, maybe it was a good thing that I didn’t get the ball. I mean, you know, it cost us the Super Bowl. I mean, I have full . . . I have full confidence in my teammates to execute that plan because we’ve done it so many more times. But would I love to have had the ball in? Yes, I would have.
“But the game is over, and I am in Turkey.”
Although they are anxiously awaiting his decision, Lynch has not informed the Seahawks that he plans to return for the 2015 season. He is scheduled to make $7 million in the final year of a four-year contract, but has hinted, through friends, that he might retire.
The Seahawks have reportedly offered Lynch upward of $10 million per year over a two-year period to return, but no deal is in place despite multiple reports that Lynch will accept it.
The entire interview:
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="2199122 https://sportspressnw.wpengine.com/?p=2199122">8 Comments
uh oh. Here it comes. Gobble Gobble.
And the King of Persia turns in his grave ….peers from the dead and mutters “Tell me THAT isnt Marshawn Lynch standing in the front with those frikin “300 Spartans” as if I don’t have enough problems maintaining my holdings in ancient Turkey?” ARCHERS!!!!!!
Maybe Marshawn needs to save recordings of these interviews and play them back during mandatory press sessions.
Looks like Marshawn is buying into the conspiracy theory that he didn’t get that last carry so he wouldn’t win the MVP award, which shows equal amounts of hubris and gullibility. Maybe he should’ve hired Oliver Stone to do his movie.
you’re projecting. lynch simply pointed out the obvious fact that had he scored the game-winning, last second td in the sooperbowl he would have been all over the media, and not just in turkey. lynch is smart. he doesn’t state the conclusion that you make that there was a conspiracy to deny him the media attention. also bob condotta says in his article today in sea times that mvp vote was already made before that play i.e. if hawks won then seattle mvp would have been whomever it already was. i don’t think mvp really is the issue. guy who scored the winning td is who would get the attention. and if it was on a pass, it would have been russell wilson.
FWIW, I think Chris Matthews would’ve been MVP had the Seahawks won.
I’m just in Turkey so I won’t get taffied.
Conspiracy in his head or not….the Seahawks have allotted an abundance of turkey to keep him on the roster. He will sign that new contract in March and the Hawks then can move on to free agency but I doubt it will be for more than one year so Lynch can part company with Seattle amicably and perhaps finish out his career in his dream job reuniting with Ken Norton and his boyhood team the Raiders.