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BY SPNW Staff 09:00AM 01/22/2015

Lynch docked $20,000, faces even more fines

Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch has drawn his second “obscene-gesture” fine and faces more financial penalties for his refusal to meet his contracted media obligations.

After scoring a go-ahead touchdown Sunday, Marshawn Lynch got away with something for which he was previously fined by the NFL. / Drew McKenzie, Sportspress Northwest

The NFL levied another fine Thursday against Marshawn Lynch, a $20,000 hit for making an obscene (crotch grab) gesture following his 24-yard touchdown with 1:25 left in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s NFC Championship game against Green Bay. The league docked Lynch $11,000 for a similar gesture after he scored a touchdown against Arizona in Week 16.

According to NFL.com, the NFL is also considering fining Lynch again for not speaking to the media following the Seahawks’ improbable victory over the Packers. Lynch recently lost an appeal to have a previous $100,000 fine overturned for failing to meet his media obligations.

Unless Lynch starts talking, next week could become an expensive one for the Seahawks running back.

According to ESPN, the NFL is contemplating fining Lynch “significantly more” than the $50,000 it has fined him in each of the past two seasons. Lynch is required to talk to reporters next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

An NFL official said there would be “increasing fines” for each session Lynch misses, with each fine being more than the two $50,000 fines already imposed and the upcoming fine that is expected soon.

According to the official, the NFL and the Seahawks are in discussions about the best way to handle Lynch.


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YourThoughts

  • Old Goat

    First we have the league attempting to”force” Marshawn to speak publicly when he is clearly uncomfortable with it. Next he is fined for a 2 second gesture endorsed by MLB as a main component by players of almost every play (AKN as “adjusting”) and one Michael Jackson spent the better part of a Super Bowl halftime show performing. I would call this Bullying by the NFL. Time for a counter suit! Another “Chip” – Go Hawks!!

    • dinglenuts

      I think someone, in an earlier article, pointed out the difference between a cup adjustment (unsightly perhaps, but not obscene), and a “take that” crotch grab-and-lift. Clearly different intentions.

      As for forcing Marshawn to talk to the press, the NFL does seem a bit heavy-handed there.

      • rosetta_stoned

        It’s part of the CBA. End of story.

  • notaboomer

    beast mode could just show up and say “i’ve told you everything i know” and “i have no explanation for that” over and over. see belichick, bill http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/01/bill-belichick-deflate-tom-brady-cheat-super-bowl-press-conference

  • notaboomer

    at least lynch didn’t get suspended for deflating his balls. brady suspension? meet the pats superbowl qb jimmy garropolo:

    http://www.patriots.com/team/roster/Jimmy-Garoppolo/60cec721-fb31-4d2d-acb7-88db1aa3bd5b

  • poulsbogary

    As the old line from the Ricky Nelson song goes, “you can’t please everybody, so ya got to please yourself.”

  • 1coolguy

    Third times a charm?

  • ll9956

    It seems to me that Lynch’s gestures are in poor taste and he should not be doing that.

    As for speaking to the press, unfortunately the players’ union agreed contractually to that, so for now the players are legally obligated to comply. The solution would be for the players’ union in the next contract negotiations to dig their heels in and adamantly refuse to force players to talk to the media and let that be optional. It’s not like there are no players willing to be interviewed. The vast majority, if not all, players (except Lynch) are eager to talk to the press. It’s not like Lynch’s refusal to do so is preventing reporters from feeding their families.

    If it weren’t for the fact that the NFL loves to throw its weight around, they would tell the reporters to let Lynch alone and talk to virtually anyone else on the team.

  • Big

    The amount of the fines being levied on ML are insignificant to the millions of dollars he’s paid. ML seems OK with the pay to play antics.

  • notaboomer

    clay matthews got fined $2000 more for his cheap shot on wilson post-interception, which, if memory serves, failed to draw a flag from the refs.

  • Jamo57

    NFL math. Grabbing balls > deflating balls.

  • Guy K. Browne

    Maybe he’s just itchy?

  • Jeff

    God this just makes me sick…. He obviously has social anxiety issues. Leave him alone. Let him do what he’s paid to do; play football.

    • jafabian

      Reportedly this all stems from how he feels the media mistreated him in Buffalo. He doesn’t trust media types after that.

  • Dave Mauro

    It won’t get him the Nabisco endorsement, but Marshawn wouldn’t be the first athlete to take his public persona to the next level by being a badass. With the right management he might turn a profit on those fines.

  • Jay

    I’m really growing weary of the NFL

  • Ol Blue

    NFL: “You guys go out there and try to kill each other, okay?”
    Players: Can we touch our crotches?
    NFL: “Fuck no.”

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