Marshawn Lynch - Pro Football Rumors

This Date In Transactions History: Bills Trade Marshawn Lynch To Seahawks

October 5th, 2021 at 8:37am CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2010, the Bills and Seahawks pulled off a blockbuster midseason trade. For the price of a 2011 fourth-round pick and a conditional 2012 draft pick, the Bills said farewell to Marshawn Lynch.

Lynch’s tenure in Buffalo altered between jaw-dropping and headache-inducing for the front office. The running back topped 1,000 yards in each of his first two NFL seasons and earned his first career Pro Bowl nod in 2008. Meanwhile, his off-the-field trouble was cause for concern. In the summer of 2008, Lynch admitted to striking a female pedestrian with his car and leaving the scene. In the following spring, Los Angeles cops found a semiautomatic handgun in his vehicle.

The former first-round pick seemed to be back on track early in the 2010 season, having just wrestled the starting job back from Fred Jackson. Still, the phone lines were open in Buffalo, and Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll pounced on the opportunity to add him to the backfield.

“We’re going to bring him in to play a lot,” Carroll said. “We’ll wait and see when we get him here, but we’re bringing him in here to play a bunch.”

The trade worked out incredibly well for the Seahawks, as Lynch took his game to a new level in Seattle and became the engine of the offense for their Super Bowl winning team. He went to four Pro Bowls with the Seahawks and was twice named an All-Pro

Lynch announced his retirement after the 2015 season, but returned after one year. The Seahawks traded him to the Raiders, where Lynch averaged 4.3 yards per carry for his hometown team. He circled back to Seattle in late 2019, scoring four touchdowns across one regular season game and two playoff contests. Lynch, 35, is probably retired for good, though he did discuss a deal with the Buccaneers earlier this year.

Marshawn Lynch, Bucs Discussed Deal

April 16th, 2021 at 4:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

Tom Brady‘s Tampa Bay arrival led to the Buccaneers adding two All-Decade-teamers last year, with Rob Gronkowski and Antonio Brown joining the future Hall of Fame quarterback with his new team. But Brady had another high-profile veteran in mind as well.

During a December interview with Conan O’Brien, Marshawn Lynch said he spoke with multiple teams about another NFL comeback last year. The Bucs were one of them. Lynch said, during a Sports Nation appearance on ESPN+ (via JoeBucsFan.com), he spoke with the Bucs about continuing his career. Lynch indicated he and Brady discussed a possible Bucs agreement.

Lynch did not play last season, and it does not sound like the All-Decade running back will continue his career. Although the Seahawks signed him late in the 2019 season, Lynch said he is not currently in condition to come back to the NFL.

The five-time Pro Bowler returned to play in three Seahawks games at age 33. While the power back did not gain many yards, he managed to score four touchdowns — one in Week 17 of that season and three in two Seattle playoff games — in his second NFL comeback. The Bucs have a backfield full of veterans at present, having re-signed Leonard Fournette and added Giovani Bernard. One season remains on Ronald Jones‘ rookie contract.

This Date In Transactions History: Seahawks Offer RB Marshawn Lynch “Huge” Extension

February 1st, 2021 at 7:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Marshawn Lynch was certainly unpredictable during his playing career. So, when it was reported six years ago today that the Seahawks had offered the running back a lucrative contract extension, not many were sure how the negotiations would unfold. Honestly, most fans and pundits were focused on Seattle’s Super Bowl matchup with New England scheduled for later that night.

Before we discuss how the story ultimately ended, let’s go back to February 1st, 2015. Lynch was coming off his fourth-straight Pro Bowl season, finishing with 1,673 all-purpose yards and a career-high 17 rushing/receiving touchdowns. He continued that performance in the postseason, including Super Bowl XLIX, when he ran for 102 yards and one touchdown. Of course, Lynch famously got snubbed when the Seahawks were within yards of a game-winning touchdown (and we all know how that game ended).

While the season may have ended in disappointment, there was no denying that Lynch was a key member of the Seahawks offense. With the veteran running back set to make only $5MM in 2015, Seattle’s front office understood that their star deserved a raise. So, they offered their running back an extension, and the terms started to leak out on this date six years ago. The new deal would pay Lynch $10MM in 2015 alone, and the “huge” extension was expected to keep Lynch in Seattle for the rest of his career.

Ultimately, Lynch signed that extension with Seattle in March of 2015, but it didn’t provide the long-term security that many expected, as the new deal was worth $24MM over two years. Unfortunately, Lynch was never really the same after inking his new contract. He was limited to only 417 rushing yards and three touchdowns in 2015, and sports hernia surgery knocked him out of the lineup for the second half of the season. Lynch eventually made his return in the Divisional Round, a game the Seahawks ultimately lost to the Panthers.

A few weeks later, Lynch shocked the NFL by announcing his retirement. Of course, considering that aforementioned unpredictably, it didn’t take long for rumors to start popping up about a potential comeback. Ultimately, he returned to his hometown Raiders for the 2017 season, a deal that required the Seahawks to participate in a trade (considering they still held his rights). Lynch spent two seasons in Oakland, and he once against announced his retirement following the 2018 campaign.

Of course, that wasn’t the end for Beast Mode. With the Seahawks dealing with injuries to their running back corps, Lynch rejoined his former team late in the 2019 season. The veteran ended up playing in one regular season game and two postseason contests, and his three playoff touchdowns ultimately elevated him to fourth on the all-time list for postseason rushing touchdowns. Lynch seemingly learned from his previous retirements, as he kept the door opened for a potential return in 2020. As recently as December, the 34-year-old hinted that he’d still be willing to return to the league. However, he ended up sitting out the 2020 season.

We’ll probably never know the terms of the extension that was reported six years ago today, so it’s uncertain if either the Seahawks or Lynch ended up winning the negotiations. However, one thing is definitely certain: when news broke of an extension offer on this day six years ago, few would have guessed how the rest of Lynch’s career would unfold.

Marshawn Lynch Drawing NFL Interest

December 10th, 2020 at 11:32am CST by Zachary Links

NFL teams have expressed interest in signing Marshawn Lynch, according to Marshawn Lynch. In an interview with Conan O’Brien on TBS (Twitter link), Lynch said that he has heard from clubs and indicated that he’d consider a contender.

“If the situation is right then it could happen,” Lynch said. “I’ve been asked the question by a couple teams here recently. Like, ‘Are you ready?’ I’m ready if y’all are Super Bowl ready. That’s what it would take me to come out and play again. it would have to be a guaranteed Super Bowl game for me.”

Lynch, 34, returned to the Seahawks late last season to join them for their playoff push. Stepping in for a battered bunch of Seattle RBs, Lynch registered four touchdowns on 30 carries in three games, including two postseason contests. He wasn’t terribly efficient outside of the red zone, however — the veteran averaged just 2.23 yards-per-carry. Of course, expectations had to be tempered for Beast Mode, considering his age and the long layoff period.

It’s not clear which teams Lynch has spoken with or how serious they are about signing him. But, in the COVID-19 era, there’s always an opportunity.

Seahawks GM: “We’d Discuss” Marshawn Lynch Return

May 7th, 2020 at 11:28am CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks “would discuss” a new deal with running back Marshawn Lynch, GM John Schneider told Jason La Canfora of 105.7 The Fan (Twitter link). Schneider also said that the Seahawks “wouldn’t say no to anything” though his comments indicated that any talks to this point have been preliminary.

[RELATED: Seahawks, Lynch In Talks]

Recently, Lynch said that his agent has been in touch with Seattle about a new deal that would bring Beast Mode back to Seattle in 2020. Late last year, Lynch stepped in when the Seahawks’ RB group was completely decimated by injuries. Between his lone regular season game and two postseason contests, Lynch averaged just 2.3 yards per carry, though he did score four touchdowns. Afterwards, Pete Carroll was asked about the possibility of a Lynch return and said, “never say never.”

This time around, the Seahawks aren’t as desperate for backfield help. They’re expecting Chris Carson to be ready to go for the start of the season while Rashaad Penny should be able to suit up at some point following ACL surgery. They’ve also got Travis Homer, who averaged 6.3 yards per tote in a limited sample size as a rookie last year. And, just last month, they added fourth-round pick DeeJay Dallas to the group, plus a pair of undrafted rookies.

For his career, Lynch has racked up 10,413 yards, 85 touchdowns, and five Pro Bowl selections.

Seahawks, Marshawn Lynch’s Agent ‘In Talks’ About New Deal

May 5th, 2020 at 8:33am CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Marshawn Lynch could stick around for another season. The veteran running back told ESPN that his agent has been in contact with the Seahawks.

“Well, it’s almost on that expect the unexpected,” Lynch said (via Curtis Crabtree of ProFootballTalk.com). “But just as far as right now, what I do know is, (I’m gonna) keep it solid. My agent has been in talks with Seattle, so like I said, we’ll see what happens. If it works out and I get back up there, it is what it is.”

Following two seasons with the Raiders, Lynch returned to Seattle towards the end of last season. Thanks to the Seahawks’ depleted running back corps, the 34-year-old had an opportunity to play, and he collected four touchdowns on 30 carries in three games (including two postseason contests).

Following that performance (which also included an unsightly 2.23 yards-per-carry), Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll hinted that Lynch could return in 2020.

“We’ll see. Never say never,” Carroll said in February. “I’m not going to rush him back to offseason, that’s for sure. That’s never been one of his strengths.”

The Seahawks are currently rostering six running backs, but only three of them have any NFL experience. Chris Carson is expected to be ready for the regular season, but Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times notes that former first-rounder Rashaad Penny may have to start training camp on the PUP.

Besides Carson, Penny, and 2019 sixth-rounder Travis Homer, the Seahawks are rostering three rookies, including fourth-rounder DeeJay Dallas.

Seahawks Open To Marshawn Lynch Return

February 26th, 2020 at 9:48am CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks aren’t ruling out another year of Beast Mode. Head coach Pete Carroll says he’d be open to having running back Marshawn Lynch back in the fold, even though it likely wouldn’t be for a full season.

“We’ll see. Never say never,” Carroll said (via Gregg Bell of The News Tribune). “I’m not going to rush him back to offseason, that’s for sure. That’s never been one of his strengths.”

Lynch, 34 in April, joined the Seahawks for the club’s final regular season game and their pair of postseason games. Carroll said Lynch did an “extraordinary job” in the limited run, which included four rushing touchdowns.

“Marshawn made an exceptional impression coming back, starting with me,” Carroll said. “He worked very hard to get to the point to have the chance to be available, how he got to that spot that maybe he could play later in the season. He reported in good shape. He performed well…Did a great job for us just picking things up and showing how, what it takes to be available and all that. He was gracious and great to all the young guys. It didn’t matter how old you were, he was just great to everybody.”

Lynch’s yards-per-carry average didn’t jump off of the page, but he got the job done for them in the red zone. All things considered, it was a solid showing for a player who had spent more than a year away from the game. After the rash of injuries that sidelined Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny, and C.J. Prosise, it only makes sense for Seattle to keep Lynch on speed-dial.

Seahawks Sign Marshawn Lynch

December 24th, 2019 at 8:36am CST by Zachary Links

It’s officially official. The Seahawks have announced the signing of running back Marshawn Lynch, reuniting them with their one-time superstar just before the final game of the regular season.

Terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but we do know that it’s a one-year pact. Lynch will join the Seahawks for the Week 17 and the postseason – beyond that, no one knows what Beast Mode might do.

Lynch, 33, is no stranger to weaving in and out of retirement. This time around, however, he didn’t have to file any paperwork to return to the field. Lynch never formally retired from the NFL, he was just assumed to be done with football after completing his Raiders obligation.

Lynch made amends with Pete Carroll & Co. after their split years ago and is ready to hold down the fort following season-ending injuries to Chris Carson, C.J. Prosise, and Rashaad Penny. In addition to Beast Mode, the Seahawks also called upon Bobby Turbo (Robert Turbin, that is) to help in their pivotal game against the 49ers.

Lynch rushed for 376 yards and three touchdowns in his six games with the Raiders last year. He topped 1,200 yards in four straight seasons with the Seahawks (2011-2014) and led the league in rushing touchdowns in ’13 and ’14. Lynch lost much of the 2015 season to a hernia injury and, as he said this week, he has “unfinished business” to address in Seattle.

Seahawks Notes: Lynch, Clowney, Brown

December 23rd, 2019 at 9:57pm CST by Ben Levine

We’re all on Beast Mode watch. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that Marshawn Lynch‘s physical “went well and as expected.” That was naturally a major hurdle as the Seahawks look to bring back the beloved veteran running back.

We learned earlier today that Lynch was set to meet with his former organization, and coach Pete Carroll was pretty candid about the team’s interest in the back.

“He’s been working really hard,” Carroll said (via ESPN’s Brady Henderson). “He’s really excited about the chance to do something helping out, and I think it’s freakin’ great if he could get out there and tote the ball for us. The circumstances rolled just at this time, and he could have four or five games left in him. Maybe that’s what we need.

“He’s had plenty of time to be working and get ready in case something came up, and I’m anxious to see him when we get him here. There’s a lot of history here that’s great history. There was nobody that ever amplified the kind of mentality and toughness that we like to play with, so if we get a chance to get the Beast back on the field, we’ll see how that works out.”

As we wait for the inevitable signing, let’s check out some more notes out of Seattle…

With the team’s running back corps all but depleted, the Seahawks have already added one former player today: Robert Turbin. As Henderson writes, the running back’s familiarity and chemistry were major factors in his addition. In fact, Turbin was a part of Russell Wilson‘s wedding party back in 2016, and the two were road roommates during Turbin’s time in Seattle.
Carroll expects defensive end Jadeveon Clowney to be on the field for Sunday’s showdown with the 49ers. “I think JD’s playing,” the head coach said (via The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar on Twitter). “I don’t think there’s any question he’s gonna play.” Clowney has been dealing with a core-muscle injury since Week 10, and the ailment kept him out of the lineup vs. the Cardinals. During his first season in Seattle, Clowney has compiled 20 tackles, three sacks, and four forced fumbles.
Left tackle Duane Brown had surgery to trim his meniscus today, reports Rapoport (via Twitter). The operation generally has a two- or three-week recovery time, meaning the veteran could be back at some point during the playoffs. The 34-year-old has spent the past three seasons with the Seahawks, and he started each of his 12 games this season.

Seahawks To Sign RB Robert Turbin

December 23rd, 2019 at 6:57pm CST by Ben Levine

The Seahawks have added one of their former running backs…but it’s not Marshawn Lynch (at least not yet). NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that Seattle is expected to sign running back Robert Turbin.

Those hoping for a Beast Mode reunion shouldn’t fear, however. Garafolo notes that the team is “still working through” Lynch’s meeting and physical. We heard earlier today that both the organization and the former Pro Bowler were “optimistic” that a deal would ultimately get done.

As for Turbin, he was among the running backs that worked out for the Seahawks earlier today. That grouping also included C.J. Anderson, who told ESPN’s Josina Anderson that he won’t be signing with the organization (Twitter link).

Turbin spent the first three seasons of his career in Seattle, including the Seahawks’ Super Bowl-winning campaign. The 30-year-old’s last NFL gig was with the Colts, who he played for between 2016 and 2018. Turbin ran for seven touchdowns during his first season in Indy, but he was limited to only eight games during his final two years with the team.

Following injuries to Chris Carson, C.J. Prosise, and Rashaad Penny, the Seahawks are in desperate need of backfield help. The organization is clearly valuing familiarity when it comes to adding reinforcement at the position.