‘I’m Just Here So I Don’t Get Fined’: Marshawn Lynch Reveals the Backstory Behind One of the Most Infamous Pressers in Sports History
Former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch revealed why he answered every question with “I’m just here so I don’t get fined” at a Super Bowl Media Day in 2015.
Prior to Super Bowl XLIX between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, Lynch put on a clinic in front of reporters when he answered every question with, “I’m just here so I don’t get fined” to every question he was asked. The response stands as one of the most famous lines in the history of press conferences.
Lynch was a guest on Monday’s I AM ATHLETE podcast, and he discussed how the league fined him for not being available to the media after games since he would go see his family as soon as he showered in the locker room. Players are required to make themselves available 10-15 minutes after the game is over.
“So the fines started accumulating; it was from seasons before,” Lynch said. “Now they run it up. It got to a pretty penny.”
Lynch revealed how much the NFL fined him throughout the years after he missed his media availabilities.
“It got to a pretty penny, $1.2 (million) for just not talking to the media,” Lynch said.
The former Seahawks running back did not win the competition for the highest fined player in the room. Former cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones and I AM ATHLETE co-host revealed the league once fined him $2.2 million.
Co-host Brandon Marshall admitted he was fined $85,000 throughout his 13-year NFL career.
According to Spotrac, Lynch made over $56 million throughout his 12-year career, and perhaps he saved more for his viral moment at Super Bowl Media Day.
That was not the only time Lynch made noise in that Super Bowl, but not through any fault of his own. The Seahawks had a chance to hand the ball off to him on the one-yard line late in the game, but Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson decided to pass the ball and threw an interception which led to a Patriots victory in Super Bowl XLIX.
Watch above via I AM ATHLETE.
