And so the whispers now seem to be coming to reality as Marshawn Lynch is on the verge of returning to the NFL. Like King Arthur at the head of Camelot, or Thor returning to Asgard, Beast Mode’s legacy will reign eternal in the hearts of his fans.
And all signs point to him continuing his legacy in a new locale after a brief retirement.
Indeed, it looks like he’ll become resurgent once again, but this time with hometown Oakland Raiders. At the conclusion of the 2015 season, Lynch marched off into the sunset following a 31-24 playoff loss to the Carolina Panthers. Since then he has been something of a pop culture gift of sorts and an ambassador traveling abroad.
He handled himself with a charm and wit that many in the media believed he was devoid of just years ago. He has been demonstratively short with his answers for the majority of his career. People from his hometown of Oakland, as well as like-minded individuals from similar locales across the country, knew what all the negative media attention toward Lynch was about back then.
Yep, the dreaded “R” word. Confident, defiant and Black is wolfsbane for racists, closeted or otherwise.
But the manner in which the entire world eventually came to see Oakland’s shining prince reign on his own terms, and in all of his charismatic glory, was very amusing. With the Oakland Raiders on their way out of town in a few short years, this would be the next best thing to winning a Super Bowl.
But a Super Bowl with Lynch? That would be bananas from a storybook point of view.
Before we go buying silver and black Beast Mode gear, there’s still the old nagging problem of him still being under contract with Seattle Seahawks. Barstool Sports contributor, and former Colts punter, Pat McAfee reports that Lynch was at the Raiders facility speaking with officials.
Noted insider Ian Rappaport reported that the Seahawks had given permission for the visit. The Raiders are definitely in need of a running back after the departure of Latavius Murray to the Minnesota Vikings.
After a year away from football, Lynch has to physically be feeling fantastic. Yes, 30 years old is a little long in the tooth for the average running back, but even a 30-year-old Beast Mode is way above average.
Also, he’ll no doubt help electrify a fan base that is crying the blues at the prospect of the Oakland Raiders leaving the Bay Area again.
