Marshawn Lynch makes light of Tom Cable punching incident to media

Jan 28, 2014; Newark, NJ, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) and Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan (left) dance during Media Day for Super Bowl XLVIII at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Oakland born running back Marshawn Lynch has been the attention of the media at the Super Bowl this week for doing the exact opposite of what last week’s man of the moment Richard Sherman did by simply not talking.

Lynch’s refusal to open himself up to the media grabbed most of the headlines on Media Day, even if Lynch did eventually give six minutes to the media and the best quote of the day to Deion Sanders when he told Prime Time that he doesn’t like to talk himself up.

Lynch told Sanders “I’m just about that action, boss.” He also avoided making much of a stir, which was likely his goal and it does seem that Lynch is genuinely uncomfortable about being in front of large members of the media. He also seems wisely wary about how any comment other than a cliche can get you into a whirlwind of extra attention from those very media members he likes to shy away from.

During one of his last NFL required media windows this week, Lynch made light of one of his coaches in Seattle’s darkest professional moment in a misguided attempt at a joke.

Talking about offensive line coach Tom Cable, Lynch reportedly said, “Being from Oakland, all I knew about him was he punched people,” adding. “That’s my type of person.”

Lynch was likely joking, but the joke won’t be too funny to former Raiders assistant Randy Hanson who had his jaw fractured by Cable after a staff meeting during the Raiders preseason while Cable was a head coach. The attack from cable left Hanson with a fractured upper left jawbone; he also suffered two cracked teeth, a bruised knee and a bruised back. Hanson who was a lifelong Raiders fan working his dream job left the team while Cable was eventually fired and replaced by Hue Jackson after an 8-8 season.

This story shouldn’t be a huge deal, but it was a slightly unfortunate comment from Lynch who was trying to give the media what they wanted and have a laugh out of an uncomfortable situation for him. Uncomfortable with the media already, it was another reminder in why Lynch tries so hard to stay away from those who make a living turning his words in interviews into big stories.