Don’t expect Marshawn Lynch to sit next to coach Pete Carroll or quarterback Russell Wilson at any 2013 Seahawks championship team reunions.
Lynch revealed the extent of his strained relationship with Carroll and his non-existent relationship with Wilson on the latest edition of the “Club Shay Shay” podcast.
“I wouldn’t be the right person to speak on they relationship because I didn’t f–k with them,” Lynch said. “I didn’t f–k with Pete, and Russ was like just a quarterback for me.”
The Legion of Boom era in Seattle featured many personalities, with Lynch among them.
While there are certain tales of close superstar or coach-player relationships, Lynch just did not have that comfort level with his head coach or star quarterback.
Lynch described how he can’t even get in touch with Wilson if he wanted to.
“I respect Russell as a player and a teammate. Anything I say because of the situation throwing a pick on the goal line, not giving me the ball, him leaving from Seattle … anything I can say is going to come off as malice or as if I’m a hater,” Lynch said. “ll take Russ and I’ll put him right there at quarterback and I’ll rock with him because I’ve done that.
“As far as anything else … Can’t pick up the phone and call old boy or nothing … I don’t got his number.”
Lynch detailed a particularly eye-opening experience with Wilson following a 20-13 win over the Titans in 2013.
The former running back said the expectation was for Wilson to have a good game against a lesser secondary, but he threw for just 257 yards with no touchdowns.
Lynch, meanwhile, tallied 155 yards and two touchdowns.
He asked a player personnel staffer for Wilson’s number after the game, and Wilson called him after the game from a blocked number. Lynch didn’t pick up the call at first for that reason.
“I don’t know how or why, but I just know I got a call from a blocked number,” Lynch said.
Lynch told Wilson he wanted to be there for him after a rough day, the same way he would hope Wilson would be there for him.
He believed it was the first time he tried to have a meaningful conversation with the Wilson.
“His response to me was kind like, ‘The f–k?’ So, I told him again like, ‘Nah, bro, I’m here for you, we gonna rock.’ His response was the same,” Lynch said.
“Considering that we on the same team, going for the same goal and this is how you chose to respond to me, It was more so like, maybe you don’t understand what I’m saying? … I thought I was tripping.”
Lynch said Carroll didn’t help the situation by giving Wilson preferential treatment, which irritated the Legion of Boom.
Carroll informed some team leaders during a practice to go to him with any issues regarding Wilson. The team felt Wilson was not held as accountable as others.
“You’re kind of putting him on a pedestal or outside the box, and it’s like he doesn’t have to be held accountable to the same s–t that we do,” Lynch said. “What the f–k is that?”
Lynch’s disagreements with Carroll stemmed from their personality diffferneces.
Carroll’s is one for motivation tactics, while Lynch essentially described his philosophy of tell him when and where the game will be and he’ll show up ready to play.
“My relationship with Pete was interesting. I like Pete as a coach because he get motherf–kers ready to go. That’s the truth. He’s the same way every day,” Lynch said. “ He’s a great motivator in getting motherf–kers ready, but it was just that I didn’t need that. I don’t’ think he understood where I was coming from. … That kinda got us to head-butting a little bit for the misunderstanding.”
Lynch admitted that he laughed in Carroll’s face after the head coach allowed Wilson to pass on the fateful play – instead of giving Lynch the ball – in Super Bowl XLIX against the Patriots, which cost them a chance to win back-to-back Super Bowls.
He believes that play ended the Seahawks’ greatness.
“Most definitely,” Lynch said. “And they suffering from it still to this day.”