Marshawn Lynch doesn’t talk to reporters, risks $100,000 fine

Posted by Mike Florio on November 16, 2014, 5:39 PM EST
AP

The NFL threatened to fine Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch $100,000 if he failed to talk to reporters on Sunday.

Per Albert Breer of NFL Media, Lynch made a quick exit from the locker room, after reporters circled around him.

Last year, the NFL fined Lynch $50,000 for repeatedly snubbing reporters.  The league eventually agreed to suspend the fine, vowing to reinstate it plus another $50,000 if Lynch persists in his failure to cooperate.

A reluctant presence at Super Bowl XLVIII Media Day resulted in no penalty for Lynch, who dressed in his best Unabomber garb, hid from reporters, and eventually spoke to Deion Sanders of the league-owned media outlet.

This time around, Lynch apparently supplemented his stiff-arm of the media attending the game with a phone call to Michael Silver and former Seahawks teammate Michael Robinson, both of whom also work for the league-owned media outlet. Neither Silver nor Robinson were at the game, but since he gave the exclusive! to a couple of friendly ears from the media outlet owned by the league, maybe that will be enough to avoid the fine.

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72 responses to “Marshawn Lynch doesn’t talk to reporters, risks $100,000 fine”

  6. I called it.

    This guy is the most immature player I can remember.

    When he wins he talks soooo much crap. When he loses, he takes his ball and runs home.

    LOL

  7. honestly, I am so tired of the stupid questions and the answers they are fed by the PR guy. let them talk if they want to talk, I really don’t see why we need to force him to go give some 1 word answers.

  10. He’s an idiot. He was warned and chose to do it anyway. I like the way he plays but his act has grown tiresome, I can see him being gone after this year like the reports say.

  14. Why does he need to talk?

    A) Because his BOSS says he does.
    B) If there was not an requirement to be available, next to no one would and there would be nothing to use on the 20 hours of pre and post game shows.

    Not many players really want to be interviewed right after a game. Even if they are nice guys, they would much rather get a shower, relax and go home to see their family.

    But the mature players understand it is part of their jobs and just do it.

  15. I believe he is contractally obligated to talk to media. But in his mind he is above that.

  16. Good on ya Marshawn! He talked to the media. Did the league specify it had to be in person? If not they will next time.. Get your priorities straight Goodell

  17. I’m a Lynch fan but this dude needs to get off his horse. If you don’t like speaking to the media, go find a job that doesn’t require it.

  18. I never understand this guy’s points when he DOES talk. I have NO idea why reporters even ATTEMPT to interview him. Do they expect some in-depth insights, or are they simply trying to provoke him. There is NO shortage of loquacious players on THIS team for God’s sake.

  22. So much for free speech. If I do no want to talk to you, why am I forced to do so?”

    ===========================

    Because it’s required of them by their contracts to make themselves available.

  23. As part of the privilege of playing in the NFL, the contract the players sign require them to speak to the media. If they don’t want to talk — don’t play in the NFL.

    Your employer can require you perform certain actions as part of your job duties.

  26. “So much for free speech. If I do no want to talk to you, why am I forced to do so?”

    Apparently you have absolutely no idea what “free speech” actually means.

  28. I don’t know, I don’t care, so what, not applicable, none of your business, kiss off, go far far far away, and all kinds of other negligible answers would be fine for any player to respond to idiot questioners and questions.

  29. Fine his a**. (really I can’t say that word?). You paid a lot of money to play a freakin’ game and you can’t talk to the media, which is a required action not just for you but for EVERY NFL PLAYER! You don’t get to be an exception. Everyone has to talk to the media and everyone includes you. You don’t follow the rules? Then get fined. I have no sympathy for millionaires playing a damn game.

  32. The league, the team, Cool Coach Pete all should tell him he’s a moron. Still fine him the 100K. Then tell him again he’s a moron because he might not of understood the 1st time.

  34. Why should you be forced to listen to questions from people whose main goal is to break up your team? I think he should go to the press conference and pull a Belicheck with every single question.

  36. When Lynch was spotted on Friday in K.C., someone took a photo of him. When Lynch saw them he flipped the photo-taker the bird! Very classy, Lynch. You deserve the fine.

  37. I like his angle, ignore the pool and just talk to a few guys you feel you can trust. You don’t need Champ Kind screwing with your statement when you can control how it is goes out.

  40. I hope he gathers all the reporters and makes a statement. He could tell them how stupid the NFL is by forcing him to talk. Therefore, he can make a point but also avoid the fine, because he spoke. But then of course, another fine would follow because they didn’t like what he said. The NFL has become so successful, it can’t see how silly some of their decisions are. They believe they can control everything. Has anyone in the league office EVER considered he may have some social issues.
    It is the equivalent of taking someone to the top of a building who is afraid of heights. Wow, give it a rest NFL.

  41. The Seahawks only wish they could match the success and talent level of the Vikings dynasty franchise. They take the Vikings castoffs in an attempt to emulate the greatest team in the NFL, unaware of the fact that Vikings management knows when players are no longer useful and can be used to fleece wannabe franchises like Seattle.

  42. Marshawn’s goal is to win the game, help his team win the game, not get tackled, pick up as many yards possible, and not fumble. What else do you want him to say. Some of you sound like you want him to talk so you can then criticize what he said and hate some more.

    Would you want someone to tell you they love you when they don’t? Unless you are an insecure DB I would think not.

  43. Sorry Roger – there is a fundamental right of freedom of speech which gives Marshawn the right not to speak, if that his his preference.
    The NFLPA should get all over this. Goodell is wrong again!
    Lynch should stick up for his basic rights.

  44. Fine him,fine him,fine him. He is a punk that thinks he’s too good for the rules. Let him go beast mode while writing the the check if he can write!

  46. Posting the stupidest comment any day on PFT is a high bar to clear, but congratulations to the commenter claiming this is a “free speech” issue. Someone really should keep an eye on this guy before he wanders into traffic chasing a squirrel.

    An employer’s policies have nothing to do with free speech. You want to play (or coach) in the NFL? You’re required to talk to the media. You can feel free to do it in the least helpful way possible, like Bill Belichick does, but you have to do it.

  49. Really getting tired of the Iron fisted NFL on petty stuff… Chop block a guy at the knees 8800.00 …. You want to fine a guy 100,000 for exercising his first amendment rights??

  50. You sign the contract to take the millions of dollars you agree to meet with the press. It’s part of the job. If you don’t want to be bothered just reply yes, no or chocolate pudding and they’ll move onto a better interview

  51. Social media and blogs are the reason players continue to try and distance themselves from people.

    1/2 of the commenters here are blasting him for not talking.

    If he talked and gave the cliche PR acceptable answers, he would be blasted for giving crap sandwiches.

    If he talked and was opinionated, these threads would be filled with the same “just shutup” comments that any Richard Sherman post has.

    If he says something wrong to the media, then he opens himself up to fines.

    Someone, please remind me why on earth ANY player should talk to the media. Their damned if they do, and damned if they don’t.

  52. Just take 5 min and act like a total douche ala Belichek . Answer every question with “we are moving on to “insert name of next team on the schedule””

  53. Why is anyone defending this diva? Lynch is just another egotistical celebrity who thinks the rules don’t apply to him.

    If he’d just do a couple of boring stick to the script interviews, the media would move on to the next guy and it would all go away. Instead he’s chosen to violate the terms of his contract and duck the media which only makes them cry foul and froth at the mouth. It’s not going to go away so he needs to man up and deal with it.

  54. Wait a minute, people on this post are calling him a ‘loser’ and chastising him, and the NFL wants to fine him 100k, not because he wasn’t giving a 100% on the field, made an obscene gesture or he turned the ball over, but because he didn’t speak with the media after a tough loss on the road?!! Whatever!! You can’t have it both ways!!
    Haters got hate I guess!!

  55. Get over it NFL. He’s got social anxiety. No one should be forced to talk to anyone they don’t want to.

  56. “Sorry Roger – there is a fundamental right of freedom of speech which gives Marshawn the right not to speak, if that his his preference.”

    No. Just no. Something tells me you are about 2 sentences away from blaming this on Obama.

  57. Mr. Skittles doesn’t want to talk to the media after a loss, sounds a lot like that punk Sherman.

  59. So Marshawn. Would you be comfortable with a bigger workload and more carries?
    Lynch…. I’m bout that action boss. Always want the ball.

    Headlines the next day

    Marshawn Lynch furious with Pete Carroll’s playcalling.

    Growing tension in Seahawks locker room between Wilson and Lynch over whether the team should pass less and run more.

    Keep Turbin on the sideline. Those carries are mine! fumes Lynch after loss to Chiefs.

    I wouldn’t talk to the vultures either.

  61. Post game interviews are pretty much worthless, but it’s his job and he’s required to do so. Please learn what freedom of speech is before you talk about it.

  63. lscratchingthesurface says:
    Nov 16, 2014 6:08 PM
    He’s a good RB;however, he was out beast mode by Jamaal!

    Hey dude, like there were no Hawks anywhere to even tackle Jammal. Lynch had no help and still ran for a buck 24. Lynch is a HOF back period. Most YAC of any RB over the last 4 years. Chiefs beat up everyone even Lynch today. Give the guy some props Chiefs balled out and stopped him twice when they had to. If you dis on Lynch you dis on what the Chiefs did.

  64. Why doesn’t the media get the idea that lynch doesn’t like to talk and doesn’t want to talk? He’s hardly the most articulate guy in the room when he does have something to say, so why even bother?

    Go ask someone else in the team for some useless quotes

  65. Jeez just leave him alone, he doesn’t like to talk. How hard is it to go bother any of the 51 other players so they can recite the usual memorized responses that are identical to what players in the other 31 teams say?

  66. 1phd says:
    Nov 16, 2014 5:54 PM
    What a surprise, he calls the Seahawk jock carrying, homer extraordinaire Michael Silver.

    ————————

    They both went to Cal and have that connection dude. Silver is the farthest thing from a Shehawk homer, he’s a Bay Area guy.

    Know your stuff before you make stupid comments.

  67. Comparing an introverted guy who skipped a media session with the Unabomber? Really,? That seems appropriate, much less accurate, to anyone? And y’all wonder why he doesn’t want to talk to the media. I wouldn’t either. The media is supposed to tell the story, not BE the story, you bunch of drama queens.

  68. If he doesn’t want to talk he should not have to. Does anyone really care what he has to say anyways? He’s just all about “that business”…boss

  69. Lynch used to talk to the media. He has been shutting it down over the years. They don’t want you to know that part though, because they might have to take some of the blame for it.

  70. Unless there is a clause in his contract, this guy gets paid to play football. If a guy isn’t comfortable on camera, Mr. Goodell, leave him the eff alone. Speaking of you, Roger…… why the hell do you still have a job?

  72. Does anybody really care what he has to say? Cuz I don’t. He can go make his arbitrary chump change that RBs make in the league now. He brought the city a ring now see ya later! You’re skills are on the decline anyways. ..lol

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