Marshawn Lynch: Destined for Hall of Fame?

By Dayna O'Gorman | Aug 12, 2015

Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch is a fan favorite around the league. One of the top producing RBs over the last few years, he’s known for his punishing style, clutch plays, and touchdowns. If you ask his fans, he is a lock to eventually end up in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame, however do his stats say the same thing?

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The current Seahawks roster is filled with possible Hall of Fame candidates. Few will argue that if the team continues the success it’s had, Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, and others could see their busts in Canton in the future. That conversation gets a bit more questionable when speaking of Marshawn Lynch. Many say his interactions with the press will hinder him, others say he doesn’t have the numbers.

Lets start with the latter. Currently, Marshawn Lynch’s career stats are strong. With 8 seasons under his belt, Lynch has played in 120 games, has 10,594 total yards (rushing and receiving), and 80 touchdowns. He is averaging 72.5 yards per game rushing. However since 2011 that average has risen to 85 yards per game, and his touchdowns have jumped from just 6 a season to 14.

Lets compare those numbers to the most recent running back inducted into the Hall of Fame, Jerome Bettis. Bettis said in an interview last month that Lynch was the current player most like him. The numbers do prove similar. During his 13-year career, Bettis amassed 192 games played, 15,111 total yards, 93 touchdowns, and averaged 71 yards rushing a game.

Aug 8, 2015; Canton, OH, USA; Jerome Bettis poses with his bust during the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Looking at those numbers, Lynch is on track to match and/or exceed Bettis’s statistics. The question then becomes whether or not Lynch will be able to play for another 5 seasons. As often as Lynch has hinted over the last few years that he plans to retire sooner than later, we can assume it isn’t in the cards for him to play until 2019.

However instead of slowing down the longer he plays, as Bettis and most running backs normally do, Lynch numbers are going up. That tells us that it won’t take 5 more seasons for Lynch to surpass Bettis. Lynch already has more receiving yards, has a higher yards per game average, and is just 13 touchdowns shy of Bettis. The only number he may not be able to catch is total yards due to number of years played.

The other argument is Lynch’s rapport with the press. “I’m just here so I won’t get fined” became Lynch’s motto when dealing with the media last season. It is well known that he isn’t a fan of interviews and goes out of his way to avoid almost any interactions with the press. Many think this will greatly hurt his chances of getting into the Hall.

Jan 28, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch with reporters during the Seattle Seahawks press conference at Arizona Grand. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

There have been other players who weren’t “media darlings” that have made it into Canton. Supposedly, Hall voters focus mostly on the on the field statistics, but we all know that off the field issues often have an influence. Fans can only hope that the voters realize the importance of Lynch to his team and his community, and ignore his distaste for the media.

Marshawn Lynch transcends team loyalty. Fans across the league love Lynch and the way he plays. His fans, especially fans in Seattle, hope he plays for many more years. However when the time comes, they also hope he is recognized for his contributions to the league. The real question is if he does get in, will he make a speech? I for one hope he gets a chance to.

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