After not speaking with the media at all during the regular season, Marshawn Lynch finally broke his silence last week. The appearance might have been just enough to save him some serious dough.
The NFL fined Lynch $50,000 last week after realizing the All-Pro running back had violated the league’s media policy this season. All players are required to be available to the media at least once a week.
Lynch might not have to pay the fine after all, though. He announced on his Facebook page that he won his appeal Wednesday.
Lynch isn’t exactly in the clear yet, though. NFL vice president of football operations Ray Anderson, who oversaw the appeal, actually ruled to suspend the fine with the chance to clear it altogether if Lynch continues to comply with the league’s media policy, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Any additional violations of the policy will cost Lynch the original $50,000, plus another $50,000, if not more.
Some loyal Seattle Seahawks fans were outraged by the fine and started an online campaign to help Lynch pay for it late last week. Lynch was so touched by the gesture that he agreed to match the final donation amount, which was around $19,000 as of 11 a.m. Thursday, and send it to a local Seattle charity.
Lynch might not like talking with the media, but, with $100,000 or more hanging in the balance, it’s a good bet he’ll make himself available throughout the rest of the playoffs.
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