Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch might not return for another possible Super Bowl run in the 2015 NFL season as reports revealed that the superstar is considering retirement.
Former Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson told ESPN that he has recently talked to Lynch, and the running back nicknamed "Beast Mode" is unsure if he wants to continue playing in the final year of his contract.
"I don't think Marshawn knows yet," Robinson said when asked about what Lynch is planning to do for next season. "I don't know what the timeline is. It's probably going to be a feel thing, and we'll just see like everybody else."
Robinson also added that the 28-year-old was not even sure of returning last season after winning his first Super Bowl. Lynch also held out of the Seahawks training camp for eight days and returned just after securing a restructured contract from Seattle.
But this time, Robinson added that money will not be a factor for Lynch, revealing that "Beast Mode" is thinking of ending his career because of health reasons after a tough eight-year grind in the NFL.
"I don't think it factors in too much," Robinson said when asked if Lynch will decide to return if given a lucrative deal. "But obviously this is a business. With the running back position being so devalued, I think he wants to be paid like the heartbeat of the team, which he should be. He knows that he has the leverage."
NFL insider Ian Rapoport also told NFL Total Access on Friday that Lynch's health will be the deciding factor on whether he will return for another season. Rapoport added that the Seahawks are trying to convince the eight-year veteran to return by offering a $10 million salary for the 2015 season.
Rapoport said that Lynch is struggling to deal with compressed cartilage in his back. Sources said that the condition will not improve and could worsen should he continue playing at a high level in years to come.
Seahawks general manager John Schneider is also aware that Lynch is considering calling it quits, but the GM is not ready to write their star running back off.
"We want to have him back," Schneider said in an ESPN Seattle Radio interview. "He knows that, and his representatives know that. He knows if he comes back he's not going to be playing at the same number he's scheduled to make. Now, whether or not he wants to play next year, I can't answer that."
