Marshawn Lynch’s recent return to the Seattle Seahawks has generated a lot of buzz over the past 48 hours.
The team had become desperate for running backs in the wake of the injuries to Chris Carson and CJ Prosise. In addition to signing Robert Turbin to complement rookie Travis Homer, they made a bold and perhaps desperate move coaxing “Beast Mode” back to the game. This set Twitter ablaze, with Seahawks fans are particularly excited to no one’s surprise.
However, Lynch should not be expected to revert to his prime form by any means. He is 33 years old and his abilities are not what they used to be. This is the second time he has come out of retirement, initially bowing out after the 2015 season and later returning to play for his hometown Oakland Raiders in 2017 before retiring again after 2018. In addition, he did not play in 20 games over the last three seasons he spent in the NFL, so his durability is a serious question.
Of course, there is always a chance that Seattle will catch lightning in a bottle with Lynch again. However, fans should not be surprised if he does not stay healthy or display the same amount of power and speed that made him such a joy to watch in his prime years.
