A sampling of national-media reaction in the wake of Marshawn Lynch's retirement announcement during the Super Bowl.
Like last year, running back Marshawn Lynch managed to garner some attention during the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl.
Except this time, it was for something off the field.
While the Broncos were putting the finishing touches on an epic defensive performance against the Panthers in Santa Clara, Calif., Lynch tweeted a photo of cleats dangling from a wire with no words, apparently announcing his retirement. As teammates and Seahawks owner Paul Allen began weighing in Sunday night, Lynch’s retirement after nine seasons in the NFL (six with the Seahawks) began to sink in. His legacy will be unique and will be dissected in the days and weeks to come, but there’s no denying the memories he left as a player.
Even with most of the attention focused on Von Miller, Peyton Manning and the Broncos, some of the national media took note of Lynch’s announcement. Below is a sampling:
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Chris Wesseling of NFL.com tried to put his career in perspective:
“It was just a year ago that Lynch was drawing raves as the best running back in football after leading the league in rushing touchdowns for two consecutive seasons. The driving force on one of the best rushing attacks of the 21st century, Lynch was also the tone-setter for the most successful era in franchise history. … The Seahawks have long been blessed with dynamic running backs, from Curt Warner in the 1980s, through Chris Warren and Ricky Watters in the 1990s to Shaun Alexander last decade. Even if Alexander’s Seattle peak lasted longer, Lynch offered more memorable moments, highlighted by his famous “Beast Quake” breakthrough in a playoff upset over the Saints. As a colorful character and the most consistently productive postseason power back of his generation, Lynch will present an interesting Hall of Fame case despite his relatively short career.”
Bleacher Report’s Matt Fitzgerald said the Seahawks have reason for optimism despite the loss of Lynch:
“Replacing someone as special as Lynch is no small task for Seattle, but there’s reason for the organization to still have high hopes, despite losing one of its franchise cornerstones. In Lynch’s nine-game absence this past season, (Russell) Wilson played the best football of his life, pulling the Seahawks out of an early funk to make the playoffs. Rookie running back Thomas Rawls also performed well, rushing for 830 yards in 13 games while averaging 5.6 yards per tote as Lynch’s primary replacement.”
Mark Sandritter of SB Nation appreciated the way Lynch announced it:
“Lynch has never been fond of talking to the media. A huge press conference that allows him to announce the news and reflect on his career was never going to be his style. A pair of cleats on a power line is about the most Marshawn way of announcing his retirement. Even right down to the timing. Lynch doesn’t need a spotlight. There are 120 million people watching the Super Bowl and amid it all, he just posts a photo, an emoji and that’s it.”
USA Today’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz wondered about the timing:
The Sporting News pointed out that Lynch joins a long list of stars who retired from the NFL before turning 30:
“Unlike most other players who leave professional football early, Lynch isn’t suffering. It would appear his body is OK, making him more like Jim Brown or Barry Sanders than in the position of Bo Jackson and Gale Sayers.”
Earlier in the weekend, reports originating from Ian Rapoport’s interview on KJR explained that Lynch was in pretty good shape financially for retirement:
“Lynch apparently makes his living through his endorsement deals, which according to Forbes net him about $5 million per year. Everything he earns from his contract heads straight into his savings account. He also has his own clothing line that should keep making him some money even if he chooses to walk away from the NFL.”
More closely related to the Super Bowl, ESPN.com’s Sheil Kapadia took note of Bruce Irvin’s and Frank Clark’s Twitter commentary about Cam Newton during the game:
“A couple of Seattle Seahawks defenders took issue with Cam Newton‘s decision to not dive for a fumble in the fourth quarter of the Carolina Panthers‘ Super Bowl loss to the Denver Broncos. Linebacker Bruce Irvin said that Russell Wilson would have reacted differently.”