Will Lynch retire as a Seahawk?

Assuming he plays for Oakland this year, will he return to the Hawks for a day before retiring, or will he retire as a Oakland Raider?

I imagine the latter. Lynch always meant more to Seattle than Seattle meant to Lynch. He's an Oakland boy at heart. I imagine he would like to retire as one of the last Oakland Raiders.

If he does retire as a Raider, does he still get a spot in the Ring of Honor? If he somehow makes the Hall of Fame, does he go in as a Raider or a Seahawk.

While it wouldn't bother me for him to retire as a Raider, and be placed in the Ring of Honor despite retiring as a Raider, it would be painful to see him inducted into the HOF as a Raider.

Ring of Honor easily. There's no requirement that the Seahawks had to be their favorite team growing up.

I don't think he gets into the Hall, but if he does, I don't believe players go in as a member of one team, but I might be confusing that with another sport. I'm actually quite embarrassed that I can't remember that for sure. I guess I could look it up, but I'm even more lazy than I am embarrassed.

I assume a bust in Canton would require another 1,000 yard season (to get him over the 10,000 career mark), and another deep and productive playoff run (I don't think he needs a second ring for enshrinement, but he needs to be the dominant post-season player once again). I do think a second ring and a MVP in XLIX would have ensured it, but I'm not 100% convinced that he would have picked up the MVP even if he sealed the win.

bigskydoc":dad06sf6 said:

it would be painful to see him inducted into the HOF as a Raider.

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The NFL's Hall of Fame ceremony isn't very team centric. The bust is generic with no team's jersey, and the player doesn't usually wear a hat or declare what team he's going in under like other leagues.

Hell it's Marshawn, he probably wouldn't even go................or if he did he'd just walk across the stage, grab his jacket and exit stage left without saying anything.

I think the baseball HOF is where there is a team affiliation because of the cap choice for the plaque. In football, it's a helmetless bust.

I think Lynch has a chance for the HOF but who knows how this comeback plays into it whether it's good or bad.

Players do get listed by team in the HOF, but y'all are right, not very team centric. I checked the HOF site. Players are listed by the franchise under which they made their primary contribution. There are a few who are listed under two teams, when they enjoyed approximately equal levels of success with two teams.

Of course, retiring as a member of another team is not cause for exclusion from the Ring of Honor. Off the top of my head, Largent, Kennedy, and Jones are the only three who finished their career in Seattle. All three had, essentially, their entire career in Seattle. Largent did play in the preseason for Houston before being traded to Seattle where he played out his career

bigskydoc":yp5t927e said:

Of course, retiring as a member of another team is not cause for exclusion from the Ring of Honor. Off the top of my head, Largent, Kennedy, and Jones are the only three who finished their career in Seattle.

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THIS is why I think John and Pete are trying to be amenable to Lynch making it easy for him to un-retire and play for his home town.

We want to keep this a good relationship so we can do cool things like induct him into the ring of honor, raise the flag and come back for SB reunions.

Is it really worth burning that bridge and souring the relationship to squeeze a 5th round pick out of the Raiders? Let the man go play for his hometown and continue the healthy relationship we have with Marshawn.

Lynch is welcome to play for the Raiders, just make him pay back the money they let him keep upon retirement. I don't understand why people still revere Marshawn in Seattle. The legacy he left in my mind was a refusal to travel to Minnesota for a playoff game because it was too cold. Frankly, him quitting on the team that last season. He spent basically the entire year off because of an injury. Then when he is healed, he quits again only to want to play for a different team. He was paid EXCEEDINGLY WELL to perform for this team and quit on them when they needed him badly after Rawls broken leg. He gets not break from me.

To answer the main question. I don't care if he retires as a Seahawk. He was and is just a mercenary.

jeremiah":37ckao8m said:

Lynch is welcome to play for the Raiders, just make him pay back the money they let him keep upon retirement. I don't understand why people still revere Marshawn in Seattle. The legacy he left in my mind was a refusal to travel to Minnesota for a playoff game because it was too cold. Frankly, him quitting on the team that last season. He spent basically the entire year off because of an injury. Then when he is healed, he quits again only to want to play for a different team. He was paid EXCEEDINGLY WELL to perform for this team and quit on them when they needed him badly after Rawls broken leg. He gets not break from me.

To answer the main question. I don't care if he retires as a Seahawk. He was and is just a mercenary.

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Interesting.

The legacy he left in my mind was being the indisputable leader in bringing the first and only Super Bowl to Seattle, carrying us to back to back NFC championships and being the author of one of the most exciting plays in NFL and Seahawk history.

I think we made out pretty well.

rjdriver":3ot7hhku said:

jeremiah":3ot7hhku said:

Lynch is welcome to play for the Raiders, just make him pay back the money they let him keep upon retirement. I don't understand why people still revere Marshawn in Seattle. The legacy he left in my mind was a refusal to travel to Minnesota for a playoff game because it was too cold. Frankly, him quitting on the team that last season. He spent basically the entire year off because of an injury. Then when he is healed, he quits again only to want to play for a different team. He was paid EXCEEDINGLY WELL to perform for this team and quit on them when they needed him badly after Rawls broken leg. He gets not break from me.

To answer the main question. I don't care if he retires as a Seahawk. He was and is just a mercenary.

Click to expand...

Interesting.

The legacy he left in my mind was being the undisputed leader in bringing the first and only Super Bowl to Seattle, carrying us to back to back NFC championships and being the author of one of the most exciting plays in NFL and Seahawk history.

I think we made out pretty well.

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lol "undisputed leader"

I disagree with the mercenary comments. Lynch was fully invested as Seahawks player until he was hurt, as well the decisions made offensively to pass when run was contra indicated may have precipitated his desire to retire here.

At present his ego is the reason for his desire to return so he can prove he still that royal jelly. The situation for him in Oakland is perfect as well b/c they have a solid OLine and so he might actually be able to return to the LOS before encountering contact there.

jeremiah":1j7c8ehj said:

To answer the main question. I don't care if he retires as a Seahawk. He was and is just a mercenary.

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I'd say you're in the vast minority with this opinion.

Lynch played here for 6 of his 9 year career and helped us win a SB and is responsible for many of the most iconic amazing plays in our franchise's history. I'd say that's far more than just a 1-2 year mercenary type player that just hops on a good team to win a SB like so many other great players have done.

I hope he does. After all, despite all of his talent, he was on the road to nowhere in Buffalo. The Seahawks, and "BeastQuake" made him what he is today.

And without that smothering defense that held the "Greatest Offense Ever" to 3 points, I doubt we win that SuperB Owl.

I don't go along with the "Marshawn meant more to Seattle than Seattle meant to Marshawn" talk. We gave him a lot. Including millions that we did not ask for him to give back when he "retired."

ivotuk":1uqr5ajq said:

I hope he does. After all, despite all of his talent, he was on the road to nowhere in Buffalo. The Seahawks, and "BeastQuake" made him what he is today.

And without that smothering defense that held the "Greatest Offense Ever" to 3 points, I doubt we win that SuperB Owl.

I don't go along with the "Marshawn meant more to Seattle than Seattle meant to Marshawn" talk. We gave him a lot. Including millions that we did not ask for him to give back when he "retired."

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8 points.

It goes both ways. No way Seattle wins the Super Bowl without Marshawn. Russell Wilson was horrible in the 1st round playoff game against New Orleans, and Marshawn was instrumental in winning both that and the San Francisco game.

Rat":1gwhka57 said:

rjdriver":1gwhka57 said:

jeremiah":1gwhka57 said:

Lynch is welcome to play for the Raiders, just make him pay back the money they let him keep upon retirement. I don't understand why people still revere Marshawn in Seattle. The legacy he left in my mind was a refusal to travel to Minnesota for a playoff game because it was too cold. Frankly, him quitting on the team that last season. He spent basically the entire year off because of an injury. Then when he is healed, he quits again only to want to play for a different team. He was paid EXCEEDINGLY WELL to perform for this team and quit on them when they needed him badly after Rawls broken leg. He gets not break from me.

To answer the main question. I don't care if he retires as a Seahawk. He was and is just a mercenary.

Click to expand...

Interesting.

The legacy he left in my mind was being the undisputed leader in bringing the first and only Super Bowl to Seattle, carrying us to back to back NFC championships and being the author of one of the most exciting plays in NFL and Seahawk history.

I think we made out pretty well.

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lol "undisputed leader"

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I meant indisputable. Thanks for keeping me honest... seriously. I was typing fast.

Let Lynch go out on his Dream job playing for the Raiders, probably wanted it his whole life, he may have some success before he is really done, something he may have trouble with here with our line and our OC. His legacy will never be tarnished in Seattle, if he has lost a step it will be in Oakland when they talk about it.

He helped bring us a Super Bowl win, was the Iconic face of the team for a few years, something Seattle had not seen since Gary Payton as brashness and not giving a damn what people think, put up and shut people up.

Glad we had a chance to see him do his best work !

Not sure that people in Seattle fully understand what Marshawn means to the Seahawks image...to the outside world.

Trust me, Marshawn Lynch is the Seahawks and the Seahawks are Marshawn Lynch.

Not to mention the first thing that people say when they talk about the Hawks in any context is......how they didn't gave the ball to Marshawn Lynch at the Super Bowl. So we're forever tied to him.

ivotuk":28855v4j said:

I don't go along with the "Marshawn meant more to Seattle than Seattle meant to Marshawn" talk. We gave him a lot. Including millions that we did not ask for him to give back when he "retired."

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I wasn't talking about the Seahawks org, so much as the city and the fans. Marshawn and the LOB were the identity for the team, and, in many ways, of the fans and the City of Seattle. We took pride in having Lynch be the face of our little corner of Southeast Alaska.

Marshawn never seemed to have that same level of attachment to the fans, though. Sure he loved the attention, and I'm not saying he disliked the fans, but he always identified with Oakland. There was no question in my mind that what Marshawn meant to Seattle, Oakland meant to Marshawn.

With the Seahawks org, it was a business relationship. I never got the sense that there was a lot of love flowing either direction. Marshawn isn't an easy player for an organization to love. Viewed from a business perspective, I would say the Seahawks meant a lot to Marshawn, but likely no more than any other team who would pay him a similar amount of money.

He never seemed to have that emotional connection to Seattle that the fans seem to have to him.

Sgt. Largent":2d656xaa said:

bigskydoc":2d656xaa said:

Of course, retiring as a member of another team is not cause for exclusion from the Ring of Honor. Off the top of my head, Largent, Kennedy, and Jones are the only three who finished their career in Seattle.

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THIS is why I think John and Pete are trying to be amenable to Lynch making it easy for him to un-retire and play for his home town.

We want to keep this a good relationship so we can do cool things like induct him into the ring of honor, raise the flag and come back for SB reunions.

Is it really worth burning that bridge and souring the relationship to squeeze a 5th round pick out of the Raiders? Let the man go play for his hometown and continue the healthy relationship we have with Marshawn.

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We can cut him by a certain date and owe him nothing but he does owe 5 million of bonus money if he comes out of retirement if the Hawks choose to take it..Every pick matters with this team and Raiders will not get him for free unless they want to wait till July or August when we can cut him.The game is a business and Lynch doesn't much care about us Hawk fans.

rjdriver":1pprt6ua said:

Rat":1pprt6ua said:

rjdriver":1pprt6ua said:

jeremiah":1pprt6ua said:

Lynch is welcome to play for the Raiders, just make him pay back the money they let him keep upon retirement. I don't understand why people still revere Marshawn in Seattle. The legacy he left in my mind was a refusal to travel to Minnesota for a playoff game because it was too cold. Frankly, him quitting on the team that last season. He spent basically the entire year off because of an injury. Then when he is healed, he quits again only to want to play for a different team. He was paid EXCEEDINGLY WELL to perform for this team and quit on them when they needed him badly after Rawls broken leg. He gets not break from me.

To answer the main question. I don't care if he retires as a Seahawk. He was and is just a mercenary.

Click to expand...

Interesting.

The legacy he left in my mind was being the undisputed leader in bringing the first and only Super Bowl to Seattle, carrying us to back to back NFC championships and being the author of one of the most exciting plays in NFL and Seahawk history.

I think we made out pretty well.

Click to expand...

lol "undisputed leader"

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I meant indisputable. Thanks for keeping me honest... seriously. I was typing fast.

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I was laughing at the notion of Marshawn being the indisputable leader. He was possibly the leader, but no way is that not even up for debate. I'd bet most would consider that to be Russ.