Seahawks teammates Richard Sherman and WR Doug Baldwin made up a skit to protest Marshawn Lynch’s $100,000 fine by the NFL. / Adam Lewis, Sportspress Northwest

RENTON — Instead of thr standard weekly question-and-answer session with local reporters, Seahawks CB Richard Sherman stood next to the podium in the Virginia Mason Athletic Center auditorium Tuesday and staged a skit with teammate WR Doug Baldwin to protest the NFL’s $100,000 fine on RB Marshawn Lynch for not speaking to the media.

Since every skit needs at least one prop, they used a cardboard cutout of Baldwin, while the opinionated wide receiver knelt behind it and provided the voice-over.

Sherman and Baldwin engaged in a mock dialogue touting their commercial endorsements in order to mock the NFL’s perceived hypocrisy in its media policy.

Courtesy of The News Tribune:

The transcript of this pigskin theater:

Baldwin: “How have you stayed busy this offseason?”

Sherman: “It’s been incredible. We’ve done a lot of things.”

“Ya know, the other day, Marshawn Lynch got fined $100,000. Did you know that? $100,000. And it’s like, they wouldn’t have even paid him that much if he had talked.

Doug, do you think they would have paid him $100K?

Baldwin: “No, they sure wouldn’t have.”

Sherman: “Jeez Louise. You know who does pay me a lot of money? Beats by Dre, the wonderful headphones that I wear.”

Baldwin: “I like those headphones.” (Bose is the official headphone of the NFL. Players aren’t allowed to wear non-NFL-sponsored brands on the field starting 90 minutes before kickoff and 90 minutes after the end of the game).

Sherman: “But the league doesn’t let me say anything about (Beats by Dre). Doug, why is it that?”

Baldwin: “I don’t know. It sounds kind of hypocritical to me.”

Sherman: “It sounds a little bit hypocritical. It seems like we’re in the league where they say, players don’t endorse any alcohol, please don’t endorse alcohol, no DUIs, but yet a beer sponsor is their biggest sponsor.” (Anheuser-Busch, maker of Bud Light, is actually the league’s second largest sponsor.)

Baldwin: “Sounds very hypocritical.”

Sherman: “That’s very very interesting. It’s crazy that in this offseason you get to have a good time, you get to wear Neff shades and beanies, you get to eat some Campbell’s Soup — my girl was sick this week and she got some Campbell’s soup in her. Campbell’s Soup is always good, so kids, when you get sick, get some Campbell’s Soup in you. It’s always a great deal. Very healthy, very good for you. Chicken noodle soup around this time. It’s flu season.” (Sherman endorses Campbell’s).

Baldwin: “Speaking of health, how do you feel about the NFL making you play two games in five days?”

Sherman: “Migawd, I almost didn’t realize that, because they’ve been talking about player safety so much. Two games in five days doesn’t seem like (the NFL doesn’t) care about player safety. It’s a little bit much for me. But Doug, you look pretty healthy, you look like you’re having a good time. You look like you’ve been eating good. What kind of sandwiches have you been eating?

Baldwin: “I like to eat fresh, so I eat my Subway. I’d also like to wash my Subway down with a bottle of Martinelli’s.” (Both are endorsed by Baldwin.)

Sherman: “Ohmigawd, Martinelli’s seems like a great beverage.”

“It’s fun in the NFL to use your time and speak about something you care about, right? ‘Cause then, you don’t get fined $100,000. You don’t get fined at all for this. This is how (the NFL wants) us to talk, right? This is what they want us to do. They want us to advertise, right Doug?”

Baldwin: “Sounds about right to me.”

Sherman: “Alright, got to make some money, gotta not get fined. Anybody got any questions?”

Baldwin: “No, I don’t think so.”

The players walked off the stage without taking questions from reporters. Sherman later apologized to reporters, saying they wanted to make a point about the NFL influencing what players say and do not say.

At least one player, 49ers starting  SS Eric Reid, thought it was worth a salutary tweet:

Despite the rivalry, Richard Sherman’s interview was awesome.

— Eric Reid (@E_Reid35) November 25, 2014