A little more than a week ago, the idea of Marshawn Lynch coming out of retirement to play for the Seahawks might have been met with laughter. The 33-year-old running back seemed happy serving tequila shots at Raiders tailgates in Oakland, and Seattle was rumbling toward the playoffs with the NFL’s third best rushing offense.
Any of that laughter ended when the Seahawks lost both starting running back Chris Carson (broken hip) and backup C.J. Prosise (broken arm) for the rest of the season in the same game, their Week 16 loss to the Cardinals. It came a couple weeks after Rashaad Penny also was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a torn ACL.
With Travis Homer left as the only healthy running back on Seattle’s roster, the team had little choice but to give Lynch a call. “Beast Mode” gladly answered.
The day after the Seahawks’ loss to the Cardinals, Lynch was flown to Seattle for a meeting with team officials. “We’re going to give him a really good chance to come back and play for us,” coach Pete Carroll said that morning on 710 ESPN Seattle.
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After he arrived in Seattle, Lynch was put through a workout and a physical, passing both tests. That night, ESPN reported Lynch signed a deal for this year only.
“He’s just been through so much, and we know him as well as I think you could know a guy, and what he brings and what he offers and all,” Carroll said after Lynch was signed, via ESPN. “He brings a lot to the table. He’s as physical of a player as I’ve ever been around, as great of a competitor as I’ve ever been around. So when you get to add somebody like that to your team, it only helps and enhances kind of the mentality that we already cherish.”
On the same day they signed Lynch, the Seahawks brought back another familiar running back in Robert Turbin for additional depth. Homer, Lynch and Turbin are the only running backs on Seattle’s roster going into their Week 17 showdown with the 49ers, a game that will determine the NFC West champion.
True to form, Lynch was a man of few words when asked this week why he came out of retirement to help the Seahawks.
“Happy holidays,” he said. “Merry New Year. Y’all have a great day. It’s a great feeling to be back. Thank you.”
Lynch last played for Seattle in the divisional round of the playoffs after the 2015 season, when the Seahawks lost to the eventual NFC-champion Panthers. Drafted by Buffalo in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft, Lynch was traded to Seattle during the 2010 season.
In six seasons with the Seahawks, he racked up 6,347 rushing yards, 57 rushing touchdowns, four Pro Bowl selections and one epic postseason carry against the Saints.
Following that 2015 season, Lynch famously retired while Super Bowl 50 was being played by posting on Twitter a photo of his cleats hanging from a wire. After sitting out the 2016 season, he returned to play for his hometown Raiders for two seasons, playing in 21 games and compiling 1,267 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in the process.
Though technically not retired, he reportedly was done with football once his contract with the Raiders expired in March. That changed a few days ago.
Marshawn Lynch’s contract with Seahawks
Lynch’s new contract with Seattle is for this year only, which in terms of the regular season is just one game. According to NFL.com, he will be paid $60,588 for that game, which amounts to the league minimum.
However, Lynch was signed with the Seahawks having already clinched a playoff berth, meaning he and all other Seattle players will earn extra money in the postseason. The longer the Seahawks last in the playoffs, the more their players will earn.
CBS Sports’ John Breech has provided a breakdown of the money Lynch could earn in the playoffs:
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Marshawn Lynch retirement timeline
Jan. 17, 2016 — Lynch plays the last game of his first stint with the Seahawks, a loss to the Panthers in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Feb. 7, 2016 — Lynch announces his retirement from the NFL simply by posting a picture on Twitter.
March 9, 2016 — Lynch is still on the Seahawks’ roster, rather than their reserve-retired list, when the new NFL year arrives.
May 5, 2016 — The Seahawks make Lynch’s retirement official by placing him on their reserve-retired list.
June 6, 2016 — Lynch confirms he is done in the NFL while giving a rare interview to 60 minutes.
March 17, 2017 — The Raiders, in need of running back help, are “strongly considering” bringing Lynch out of retirement and onto their roster.
March 21, 2017 — Lynch retweets a post in which a Twitter user notices a musical playlist put together by the running back has a track called “Oakland Raiders,” fueling speculation that Lynch is willing to sign with the team.
April 5, 2017 — NFL Media reports Lynch told the Raiders he plans to come out of retirement.
April 13, 2017 — NFL Media reports the Seahawks, who still hold the rights to Lynch, are expected to work out a deal to trade the running back to Oakland upon his reinstatement.
April 14, 2017 — Lynch and the Raiders reportedly agree to terms on a deal that would put him in the NFL and with the Raiders so long as a deal with the Seahawks can be completed. Both sides still have to “cross these t’s and dot those i’s.”
April 26, 2017 — Lynch’s representatives and the Raiders agree to terms on a two-year contract, and the Seahawks nail down a trade that sends him to Oakland. The Raiders announce they will also get Seattle’s sixth-round draft choice in 2018 while sending their fifth-round pick in 2018 to the Seahawks.
March 17, 2018 — NFL Media reports Lynch will remain a member of the Raiders in 2018 as their feature back.
April 24, 2019 — ESPN reports Lynch “is not planning to play football again.” Not officially retired this time, Lynch becomes free agent.
Dec. 23, 2019 — With the Seahawks ravaged by injures at running back, they sign Lynch to a contract to play the last game of the 2019 regular-season and playoffs.