Since joining the Seahawks, Marshawn Lynch has been known for his reluctance to talk with the media (although as a Bill he did do this funny bit with Kenny Mayne). He never gives post game remarks and seldom does interviews. He wont even talk to his friend and teammate Michael Robinson on the Real Robb Report. In fact his refusal to talk on the Real Robb Report became a bit of a running joke. Apparently, the NFL didn't find all this too funny. They recently fined Beast Mode $50,000 for failing to follow the league's policy on talking with reporters. After an appeal, the NFL decided to put the fine in a state of abeyance. If Lynch starts talking than the fine goes away, if he keeps up his silence than the fine doubles to $100,000.
I know the NFL and the sports media are in bed together and make billions of dollars every year and that interviewing star players like Lynch is part of the grease that keeps the cogs turning, but this fine is just so blatantly driven by the power of money it is sickening. The only people that suffer from Marshawn's decision not to talk to the media are some beat reporters that needed yet another cliche to throw into their Monday morning game recap. Let's face it, the vast majority of the quotes that players give are completely devoid of meaning or value anyways. Hearing yet another RB say he "just wants the team to win" and "is never going to stop until the whistle blows" doesn't make the fans more educated or benefit society in anyway. Fining a player for choosing to keep quiet is wrong.
Additionally, with the size of the fine, the NFL is treating Lynch like he is some kind of criminal (which he might be once his outstanding DUI charge is settled) or menace to the league. According to Sportrac.com, in 2013 only three players received fines bigger than Lynch's $50,000. All of these were for dangerous on field hits. The NFL shouldn't be treating players who don't give interviews the same as those that target opposing players heads. They are basically saying that Marshawn's mute act is worse then Brandon Meriweather's week 2 helmet to helmet hit against Green Bay RB Eddie Lacy (only a $42,000 fine). Lacy ended up with a concussion from that hit. This whole thing proves to me yet again, that the NFL doesn't have it's priorities straight.
Source: NFL.com, Sportrac.com
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