
Beast Mode is back.
The Seattle Seahawks have brought Oakland native Marshawn Lynch out of retirement, agreeing with him to a one-year contract after bringing the 33-year-old running back in for a visit Monday, his agent revealed on Twitter.
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Lynch spent six seasons in Seattle from 2010 through 2015, including rushing for 39 yards and a touchdown in the Seahawks’ blowout victory at Super Bowl XLVIII.
The Cal product spent his last two NFL seasons with the Raiders, as the beloved community figure wanted to represent his hometown team before they packed up for Las Vegas in 2020.
Having not played since Week 6 of last season, it’s hard to know what to expect from Lynch in his return to the field in Sunday's winner-take-all game against the 49ers with the NFC West on the line.
In six games with Oakland in 2018, Lynch averaged 4.2 yards per carry on 90 attempts.
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Seattle certainly is desperate for help at the running-back position, having lost two tailbacks to season-ending injuries in their Week 16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
Chris Carson (fractured hip) and C.J. Prosise (broken arm) were lost from a backfield already without Rashaad Penny, who went down in Week 14 with an ACL injury.
It’s fair to question how quickly Lynch can master Seattle’s playbook, as the Seahawks have gone through multiple offensive coordinators since Lynch’s departure after the 2015 season.
While it has been a few years, Marshawn has found quite a bit of success in matchups with the 49ers.
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Lynch will have less than a week to prepare for one of the NFL’s most imposing defenses, one that will be looking to avenge a Week 10 loss in what was one of the most exciting games of the NFL season.
While we likely won’t see replica of Lynch’s legendary “Beastquake” run from the 2011 playoffs, he might provide the emotional lift the Seahawks need to once again knock the 49ers off the top of the NFC standings and secure a division title.