Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch famously said during Super Bowl week, “I’m just here so I don’t get fined.” But it was only this week that we learned that Lynch had been fined $75,000 for failing to talk to the media after the Seahawks punched their ticket to the Super Bowl by beating the Packers in the NFC Championship Game. Lynch had an appeal hearing for that fine scheduled for this week.
But now that appeal hearing has been canceled. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that Lynch and the NFL have reached a settlement, so no hearing will be necessary.
There’s no word on the financial end of that settlement -- whether Lynch’s fine was reduced or rescinded entirely -- but Rapoport reports that the league expects Lynch to comply with its media policy in the future.
We’ll find out soon enough if that is the case. The NFL requires all players to talk to the media regularly, and Lynch has bristled at that requirement repeatedly. If he doesn’t comply going forward, it’s a safe bet that the NFL will fine him again.
