LandonBuford.com Staff
Former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch is known for his no-nonsense approach both on and off the field. During a recent episode of Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast, Lynch didn’t mince words when discussing his relationship with Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, his former teammate with the Seattle Seahawks.
Lynch and Wilson shared the Seahawks locker room from 2012 to 2015, a period that included memorable moments, including a Super Bowl victory and a crushing Super Bowl XLIX defeat. However, when asked about Wilson’s exit from Seattle and his relationship with head coach Pete Carroll, Lynch admitted he didn’t feel comfortable delving into that territory, mainly because he didn’t have a close relationship with either of them.
“I wouldn’t be the right person to speak on their relationship because I didn’t f–k with them,” Lynch stated bluntly. “I didn’t f–k with Pete, and then I mean Russ was just a quarterback for me.”
Lynch’s response might come as a surprise to some fans who expected him to share insights about their time together. When prodded about his off-the-field relationship with Wilson, Lynch acknowledged the elephant in the room: the infamous goal-line interception in Super Bowl XLIX that cost the Seahawks a potential second consecutive championship. The memory of that play still looms large for many Seahawks fans.
“I respect Russell as a player and as a teammate,” Lynch conceded. “Anything that I say is gonna come off as malice or as if I’m a hater… I’ll take Russell, and I’ll put him right there at quarterback, and I’ll rock with him, because I have done that. But as far as anything else… No, there’s no, you can’t pick up the phone and call ol’ boy or nothing.”
Lynch’s explanation for his distant relationship with Wilson was both candid and practical. He revealed that he didn’t even have Wilson’s phone number, making communication challenging from the start. Furthermore, Lynch recounted an instance when he received a call from a blocked number, which turned out to be Wilson. Their conversation didn’t go as expected, adding another layer of complexity to their relationship.
Since Wilson’s move to Denver, the Broncos have faced their share of struggles, with the team’s performance failing to meet expectations. Wins have been scarce during Wilson’s tenure as the starting quarterback. However, the recent victory over the Chicago Bears provided a glimmer of hope, marking just the fifth win with Wilson under center.
As Wilson and the Broncos strive to build on this momentum, their relationship with Lynch remains distant, characterized by a lack of communication and a shared history of both triumph and heartbreak. While Lynch may not have much to say about his former teammate and coach, his candid remarks shed light on the complexity of relationships within the NFL, where on-field success doesn’t always translate to off-field camaraderie.
The Denver Broncos will look to continue their upward trajectory when they face the New York Jets on Sunday, and the NFL world will continue to watch closely, wondering what the future holds for Russell Wilson and his teammates, both past and present.
