Real: Raiders RB Lynch Stays True Despite Critics’ Wishes

Last night’s game could’ve ended poorly for the Raiders. If it did, questions about one particular incident would cloud the next ten days off. After Chiefs’ corner Marcus Peters hit Derek Carr late, three Oakland linemen closed in on Peters. From the bench, Marshawn Lynch ran in to intervene. He appeared to separate Peters from the mess. An official slid in. From there, Lynch jostled him slightly, but making contact nevertheless. For his actions, Lynch earned an ejection. First reports depicted Lynch leaving the stadium, photos later surfaced of Lynch sitting in the stands. With that said, many topics arise from this point.

Loyalty

While social media exploded with hot takes and various opinions about Lynch’s actions, sides clearly formed. Fans, irate from the moment of contact. Some screamed for Lynch’s immediate release. In the first place, the Raiders are not going to cut Marshawn Lynch over this. As a result, any mention of such remains totally ridiculous. In addition, questioning where Marshawn Lynch’s loyalty is also futile.

Fact is, Marcus Peters and Marshawn Lynch’s friendship dates back to Peters’ high school days. Lynch mentored Peters, let him live with him in Seattle. From before the moment, Peters stepped on the UW campus, Lynch acted as a big brother/mentor/friend to him. Their bond transcends football, one of that to a familiar one. Nothing that will happen on a field will break that.

Granted, the optics of Lynch saving Peters from a confrontation with three men totaling roughly a half-ton looks terrible. Yet, it fits in step with Lynch’s character. He will stand up for those closest to him. However, the one he chose wore a Chiefs uniform and that alone enraged RaiderNation. Traitor, sellout, backstabber are the terms used this morning. Be that as it may, Marshawn Lynch does not care what anyone on the outside thinks about him. He never has, and never will. That makes him genuine in every respect.

Now, the attitude within the Oakland Raiders locker room could be a tense one. Yet, no one will ever know. Why? The Raiders, by and large do a fantastic job of walling off internal issues from public viewing. Whether good or bad, that is a fact. In spite of this, anger probably exists among players at Lynch for two reasons. First, appearing to rush the field to save an opponent may strike some as disrespectful. Football players, more than most athletes believe in a brotherhood dynamic. The us-against-the -world mentality prevails on teams. Time will tell if this impacts Lynch’s relationship with the rest of his team.

If you’ve made up your mind after Lynch sitting for the anthem, nothing he does will ever change that opinion. Conspiracy theorists have flooded social media with the thought that Lynch wanted to get ejected. Wrong. For contacting an official will cost him roughly thirty thousand dollars. Millionaire or not, no one likes forking over that money. While detractors and critics will call for his release, the Raiders and more importantly, Marshawn Lynch could not care less what anyone thinks. Save your feelings and outrage for someone who cares, because he doesn’t. In an era, where scripted, almost robotic athletes used canned wording, Lynch will do, what he does. RaiderNation needs to understand that. The Oakland Raiders most certainly grasp that.

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