Fansided

Report: Marshawn Lynch loses appeal of $100,000 fine

By Austin Belisle

Dec 21, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) reacts against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Seahawks defeated the Cardinals 35-6. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 21, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) reacts against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Seahawks defeated the Cardinals 35-6. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch lost his appeal of the NFL’s $100,000 fine for refusing to talk to the media after a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11.

More from NFL

When Marshawn Lynch talks, he likes to do it on the field. Every Sunday, he makes a statement with his shoulder pads, plowing through defenders and sending a clear message that he won’t be stopped.

After the game, it’s a different story – if Lynch isn’t answering questions with a “yeah” or a “thank you for asking”, he won’t talk to the media at all. After losing 24-20 to the Chiefs in Week 11, Lynch’s silence off the field earned him a $100,000 fine from the league.

Today, Lynch’s appeal of the fine was denied. According to Pro Football Talk, the fine was made up of two $50,000 chunks — one for the infraction and one from the 2013 season that was suspended pending Lynch’s future cooperation with the media.

Clearly, Lynch hasn’t cooperated with the media, and the NFL has taken swift action. Lynch may be one of the best running backs in the league, but off the field, he’s created a persona of ignorance and stubbornness that rubs many the wrong way.

Some argue that a player shouldn’t be required to talk to the media, but opening yourself to the public comes with the territory of playing in the NFL. When Lynch scores a touchdown, the world sees it on ESPN. When he eats Skittles on the sideline, it ends up on the news. And when he answers every single question after a game with a “yeah”, the exchange goes viral and becomes a news sensation.

Others find the interview hilarious, arguing that Lynch’s play does the talking for him. In some regards, they may be right — Lynch is consistently one of the best running backs in the league. This season, he rushed for 1306 yards and 13 touchdowns, providing the Seahawks with another banner year in the backfield.

One play in particular stands out from Lynch’s 2014 season though — the 79-yard touchdown against the Cardinals in Week 16

Yes, the run is spectacular, rivaling his infamous touchdown against the Saints in the 2011 playoffs. He shoots through a hole on the left side of the line, makes a hard cut right, then sprints up the right sideline, only to plow through two Arizona defenders on his way to the end zone. It’s vintage Marshawn Lynch, a play only Beast Mode himself could make

But, the end of the play may be most telling, when Lynch cross the goal line. Instead of simply running into the end zone, he jumps, turns in mid air, and emphatically grabs his crotch — a gesture that earned Lynch an $11,050 fine from the league. Lynch doesn’t care, because he wasn’t just disrespecting the Cardinals, he was telling the media and the league that he’s gonna do what he wants to do.

More from FanSided

Home/NFL