Marshawn Lynch showing no signs of slowing down because of age

Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch is fairly old considering the size of the new contract he just signed. That’s ok though, since he is actually getting better with age.  

Single malt scotch isn’t just whiskey. It takes time to make good scotch. It must be aged slowly for years before it is drinkable. The longer is sits, the better it is. Aging it also makes it more expensive, but it is worth it.

Marshawn Lynch appears to be the single malt scotch in a league filled with beer at the running back position. While most get skunky after a time, Lynch is getting better and better each year.

With running backs, the first thing to go when they start to get older is their ability to break tackles and get yards after contact. Even before they lose that breakaway speed, they stop running through arm tackles like they did when they were younger.

Lynch is defying that trend by becoming a more powerful runner as he ages. He set career highs for yards after contact per attempt and missed tackles per attempt in 2014. In fact, he’s been getting steadily better at generating missed tackles in each of his four full seasons with the Seahawks.

This level of yearly improvement isn’t likely to continue for Lynch, but there is nothing wrong with that. He is already the best the NFL in creating missed tackles and getting yards after contact, and by a wide margin.

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Even if Lynch does start to show signs of age in the next couple of years, he’ll still only drop back to being as elusive as the other top backs in the NFL. He’s that much above everyone else at the moment. The numbers speak for themselves.

So while Lynch isn’t the youngest RB in the league by any means, it shouldn’t matter for him and the Seahawks. He’s still getting better each year. He’s like a good scotch. Some things just age well.

All stats taken from Pro Football Focus (subscription required).