Seattle Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch appears on the field for warm up before playing the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, February 1, 2015. Photo by Davis Tulis/UPI |
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KIRKLAND, Wash. -- After months of speculation about whether he may try to play one more season, running back Marshawn Lynch confirmed he plans to retire from the NFL.
Lynch was placed on the reserve/retired list by the Seattle Seahawks last month, but has yet to file his retirement papers with the league, fueling speculation he may return for a final season - perhaps with his hometown Oakland Raiders. But he confirmed in a joint 60 Minutes Sports/Sports Illustrated segment that he is done with football.
"No I'm done. I'm done," he told Sports Illustrated in a segment that will appear on '60 Minutes Sports' on Showtime on Tuesday night. "I enjoyed my time playing, now it's time to watch my cousins do their thing."
Lynch, 30, played nine NFL seasons, but was bothered by hamstring and abdominal injuries while rushing for 417 yards on 111 carries in 2015. That came after rushing for at least 1,200 yards in each of his previous four full seasons with the Seahawks. He returned for the team's playoff loss at the Carolina Panthers, rushing for only 20 yards on six carries after having not played since Week 11 due to the abdominal injury.
If he stays retired, Lynch will finish his career with 9,112 rushing yards and 74 touchdowns on 2,144 carries, and another 1,979 yards and nine touchdowns on 252 receptions.
However, agent Doug Hendrickson said he wouldn't close the door on anything with his unpredictable client.
"Well, I know, I think if you could write the perfect story as far as the last year of his career, if he played, come back to Oakland, it makes sense right? But the reality is, look, he told me he's done," Hendrickson told Sports Illustrated. "With Marshawn, I'll never say never."
