Marshawn Lynch: Career retrospective

Marshawn Lynch was born and raised in Oakland. He made a name for himself in the Bay Area as a four-sport athlete at Oakland Technical High School. Athletics were an outlet for him to rise above the Oakland projects he grew up in. His high school coaches took advantage of his talents by lining him up as a defensive back, quarterback, wide receiver, linebacker, and running back. A four-star recruit, Lynch committed to the University of California at Berkley.

As a true freshman, Lynch ran for 628 yards and eight touchdowns in a backup role. Lynch was the lead back in his sophomore and junior years. Both campaigns ended with Lynch gaining more than 1,200 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Lynch received All-American Honors in 2006.

A campus hero, the Golden Bears went to a bowl game every year during Lynch’s tenure. They posted a 2-1 bowl game record, winning in 2005 and '06. His 3,230 rushing yards are second all-time in Golden Bears’ history. Fun fact: In 2004, Lynch was teammates with Green Bay Packers legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Lynch made himself draft eligible following his junior year. The 5-foot-11, 215-pound power back was seen by scouts and analysts as one of the most complete running backs in the 2007 draft class. The California native wasn’t used to the cold. Still, he got accustomed to his new home pretty quickly.

Lynch got off to a hot start in Buffalo. He notched back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in his first two years with Buffalo, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2008. On the field, Lynch was a young talent on his way toward stardom. But Lynch was making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

In 2008, Lynch hit a pedestrian in downtown Buffalo and lost his driver's license. Later, he was charged with possessing a concealed firearm in 2009. The league suspended him for three games. These incidents gave Lynch the label of being a thug and a locker room cancer. In reality, Lynch wasn't a thug. He was a young and naïve adult who came from the bottom and didn’t know how to handle the pressure of fame and fortune given to him at such a young age. His days in Buffalo were numbered.

No NFL coach denied Lynch’s talent on the field. Their biggest concern was whether his off-field problems would hold up long enough to stay on it. In October 2010, the Seattle Seahawks negotiated a trade for Lynch in the middle of the season. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll took a chance on the power back with endless potential.

Lynch got his fresh start. Playing out the rest of the year in Seattle, Lynch ran for 573 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games with the Seahawks. The Seahawks finished 7-9, good enough to win first place in the NFC West and clinch a playoff berth.

The Seahawks faced the reigning Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card Round. The contest would be Lynch’s first playoff game. The Seahawks had home-field advantage and were still underdogs heading into the game. From the opening kickoff to the last whistle, the Seahawks set out to prove the doubters wrong.

Seattle held a 34-30 lead over the Saints in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter. At this stage of the game, the Seahawks wanted to run the clock out and head home victorious. What happened next is the best run in playoff history. Lynch broke away from the defense and scampered for a 67-yard touchdown to seal the victory. The run caused seismic activity in Seattle — that’s how loud the crowd reacted. The Beast Quake became the defining moment of Lynch’s career. In the final frame, the Seahawks won by a score of 41-36. Lynch posted 19 carries, 131 yards, and the Beast Quake touchdown in the upset victory.

The Beast Quake was more than a game-clinching touchdown. It was the birth of Beast Mode and started the Pete Carroll era in Seattle. The run is a metaphor for Lynch’s life. He ran headfirst through the obstacles, showing resiliency and an unbreakable spirit against the odds. 

Lynch was born in Oakland. Beast Mode was born in Seattle.

Beast Mode had already established himself as a Seattle sports legend after the Beast Quake. He wasn’t satisfied with that. In the 2010s, Lynch was the lead back for one of the best teams in the NFL. The Seahawks were the cream of the crop for the bulk of the '10s. Lynch was instrumental in their success.

Lynch flourished in an offense that valued running the ball, finishing 2012 as a First-Team All-Pro while earning a Pro Bowl selection. Lynch made four Pro Bowls in a row (2011-14) and became a fan favorite across the NFL. Everyone knew who he was, and his popularity soared with every touchdown he scored. He was always ready to make a game-changing play. Some of them even went viral. In the prime of his career during those Pro Bowl seasons, Lynch totaled 1,181 carries, 5,357 yards, and 48 touchdowns in 63 games. 

Fun fact: Marshawn Lynch’s favorite food is Skittles. He went viral for eating them on the sidelines during an NFL game. It became an in-game ritual for the stud running back. 

The Seahawks were knocked out by the Atlanta Falcons in the playoffs in 2012, losing by just two points. The loss stung, but it exemplified that this young team could hoist the Lombardi Trophy one day. 

In 2013, the Seahawks came out swinging. They went 13-3 on the year and were the best team in the NFC from start to finish. Under head coach Pete Carroll, the Seahawks executed an old-fashioned style of football. They dominated on defense and created a run-heavy offensive scheme that took the pressure off young quarterback Russell Wilson. They didn’t throw much, electing to focus more on time management and long, excruciating drives over plays that went viral. The formula worked so well that the Seahawks defense was nicknamed The Legion of Boom. They weren’t just the best defense in the league. They were one of the best defenses of all time. With a secondary of hard-hitting ball hawks, Seattle built a contender.

The Seahawks coasted through the NFC playoffs. Their win over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship became an NFL classic. 

On Feb. 2, 2014, Seattle faced off against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. The Broncos posed a real threat on paper, led by Peyton Manning and a cast of reliable playmakers. Both teams had giant bandwagon fanbases, and it was shaping up to be a legendary matchup.

The Seahawks got off to a hot start and never let go. The Broncos didn’t even have a chance. The score was 22-0 heading into Bruno Mars’ Halftime Show performance. After Percy Harvin's kickoff return to open the second half, the game was out of reach for Manning to orchestrate a miraculous comeback. The Seahawks won 43-8 in one of the most lopsided Super Bowls ever. I guess defenses really do win championships!

Lynch was the feature back for the Seahawks all season. Beast Mode had 39 yards and a touchdown in the blowout victory.

It seemed as if there was a dynasty brewing in Seattle. The Legion of Boom dominated. Lynch became the workhorse back on offense and carried most of the load as Russell Wilson grew into his own, eventually becoming a prolific passer as the decade progressed. 

The Seahawks went 12-4 and beat the Carolina Panthers in the Divisional Round and the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game in an exciting comeback victory. The Seahawks were down 16-0 at halftime and won 28-22.

They’d go up against the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX. The game lived up to the hype. The Seahawks held a commanding 24-14 lead heading into the fourth. But you can never count Tom Brady out of a game. The Pats scored 14 unanswered points, thanks to Brady’s signature clutch playmaking. In the game's final drive, the Seahawks had a chance to pound the ball into the endzone and become back-to-back champions. They advanced to the Patriots’ one-yard line after an insane catch from Jermaine Kearse. Instead of running the ball with Lynch, the Seahawks decided to pass the ball. Wilson threw a dart down the middle. Malcolm Butler came out of nowhere and intercepted the ball. The final seconds of the game felt like hours for the Seahawks' 12th man, hoping for a miracle of their own. Fate wasn’t on their side, as the Patriots won 28-24. 

The Seahawks' decision to pass on the one-yard with Beast Mode in the backfield is a major controversy. It changed the course of NFL history by ending the Seahawks' potential dynasty and reenergizing the Patriots dynasty, which won three Super Bowls in the '10s. 

After back-to-back seasons of leading all running backs in rushing touchdowns (2013, '14), Lynch logged 111 carries, 417 yards, and three touchdowns. He missed nine games with a sports hernia but suited up for the season's final game, a Divisional Round loss to the Carolina Panthers. The writing was on the wall: Lynch’s days with the Seahawks were numbered. And what a run it was! Lynch was a top-five running back with the Seahawks.

Lynch announced his retirement via Twitter in February 2016. It was on the same day as Super Bowl 50. Beast Mode had nothing left to prove. His football resume was basically perfect for a modern running back.

Beast Mode sat out the entire 2016 season. In early 2017, the Seahawks agreed to trade Lynch to the Oakland Raiders in exchange for swapping late-round draft picks. Suiting up for his hometown team was a dream come true. Lynch was living his best life. The trade allowed him to reconnect with his hometown and show the kids growing up in Oakland that they could succeed at whatever they put their minds to. 

Beast Mode looked recharged in his first season back, rushing for 891 yards and seven touchdowns. There were many vintage Beast Mode moments during the season. 

He followed up his homecoming season with 376 yards and three touchdowns in six games. In late October, he suffered a groin injury that kept him off the field for the remainder of the season.

Lynch hung up the cleats for the second time at the end of the 2018 season. With no intentions of coming back, Lynch was ready to enjoy the good life in retirement. 

The Seahawks' backfield suffered multiple injuries during the 2019 season. With a playoff run in the cards, the Seahawks needed an answer to their injury-depleted backfield. That answer was Beast Mode. Seattle signed Lynch in the last week of the season. Beast Mode began his second stint with his former team by running for 34 yards and a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers in front of a home crowd on 'Sunday Night Football.'

In two playoff games, Lynch carried the pigskin 18 times for 33 yards and three touchdowns. The Seahawks beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card and lost to the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round. 

At this stage of his career, Lynch was more of a goal-line back used for scoring situations instead of the all-out superstar who dominated in his prime. He averaged 1.8 yards per rushing attempt. In a lesser role, Lynch still gave opposing defenses fits. 

Beast Mode isn’t afraid of the spotlight. We saw it time and time again over his football career. Now he is showing he has what it takes as an actor. He appeared in Running Wild with Bear Grylls for an episode along with HBO’s 'Westworld' and cult classic 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine.'

His sports bar, Rob Ben’s, was featured in an episode of Bar Rescue. He even has a cameo in 'Call of Duty: Black Ops III.'

A legend on the field, Lynch has become a pop culture icon away from it.

Lynch was named to the 2010s All-Decade Team. The honor leaves no doubt Lynch will be remembered as one of the best running backs of his era. Beast Mode made a lasting impact on the game.

Beast Mode finished his career with 10,413 rushing yards and 85 touchdowns. A power back whose receiving ability added an element of surprise to his game, Lynch caught 287 passes for 2,214 yards and nine touchdowns. His 12 postseason touchdowns are tied for fourth-most in NFL history. He led the league in rushing touchdowns twice (2013, '14). 

If you want to measure Lynch's greatness, however, stats don't paint the whole picture. You have to watch his highlight reel and see his tough running style for yourself.

The kid from Oakland that no one wanted because of his off-field problems became the running back no one could tackle. In his prime, Lynch was as good as it gets. 

Every kid growing up in the 2010s knew who Lynch was, and they wanted to run the ball just like him. He was a tough running back who wasn’t afraid to lower his shoulder when his team needed the yards. He possessed a rare combination of strength and power few running backs ever had.

He built a legendary legacy in Seattle. Being traded to the Seahawks was the best thing that ever happened to him. It’s where he had the best years of his career and became a superstar. While we might wonder how he did it decades after his career, one thing we won’t have to wonder about for too long is putting him in the Hall of Fame.