RENTON, Wash. — When Marshawn Lynch played his last game for Seattle in January 2016, a playoff loss to Carolina, the idea of him ever wearing a Seahawks uniform again seemed preposterous.
Yet here was Lynch on Tuesday going through his first practice with Seattle in nearly four years, and potentially tasked with playing a major role on Sunday against San Francisco with the NFC West title on the line.
When it comes to NFL reunions, this is as unlikely as it gets. Not just Lynch back on a football field after more than a year away, but back in Seattle.
“What I needed to hear from him is where his heart is. Is he in it and does he want to go for it, which he totally does,” Seattle Coach Pete Carroll said. “He’s worked to prove that. I don’t doubt him one bit about that. He’s very sincere about how he presents himself to this game and it’s very important to him to be at his best and do well, and he’s going to do everything he can to make that happen.”
The arrival of Lynch was a spark of energy inside a Seattle locker room that was left reeling after Sunday’s 27-13 loss to Arizona. Not only were the Seahawks run over by the Cardinals, they lost their most direct path to the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs and their top two running backs to injury.
Lynch may end up being great in Seattle’s backfield. He may end up looking like a 33-year-old who hasn’t played in more than a year. But the idea of “Beast Mode” carrying the ball once again in a Seattle uniform galvanized not only the fan base, but a locker room of players who mostly haven’t had Lynch as a teammate.
Linebacker K.J. Wright, one of the few holdovers from Lynch’s last season, said some of the younger players seemed a bit in awe of Lynch being back in Seattle’s locker room.
“Only one person can pull this off and that’s No. 24,” Wright said. “Back in the building, it feels good. When I heard the news I was like, ‘Perfect.’ He’s just the ultimate teammate, cool dude, just ballin’. I’m glad to have him back.”
Seattle made official the signings of Lynch and Robert Turbin – the same backfield combo it used from 2012-14 – on Tuesday. The Seahawks placed injured running backs Chris Carson (hip) and C.J. Prosise (arm) on injured reserve to open up the roster spots.
RAMS: The season is over for Jalen Ramsey.
Coach Sean McVay said the star cornerback will not play in Sunday’s finale against the Arizona Cardinals because of a knee injury suffered Saturday night in a loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Ramsey intercepted his first pass of the season during the first quarter of the Rams’ 34-31 loss that eliminated them from playoff contention. The three-time Pro Bowl selection went to the locker room in the second quarter, but he returned and did not miss a series.
McVay said Ramsey suffered a sprained lateral collateral ligament in his left knee. The injury is expected to heal without surgery.
“He’s made a big, big impact,” McVay said of Ramsey, who was acquired in October when the Rams traded two first-round draft picks to the Jacksonville Jaguars. “It was great to see him make a big-time play the other night on that pick.
“You can just feel, he’s had a presence since he’s been playing.”
STEELERS: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger took to Twitter on Christmas morning to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Then came a second tweet that addressed an ESPN report from earlier this week that implied Roethlisberger had doubts about returning to the Steelers in 2020.
“P.S. Contrary to recent reports out there about my football future and my ‘uncertainty’ about playing again, I am working hard and am more determined than ever to come back stronger and better than ever next year!”
Roethlisberger was injured in the second game of the season against Seattle and had surgery shortly thereafter. He was placed on injured reserve.
Roethlisberger told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette earlier this year that he expects to be ready for training camp.
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen later clarified his original report.
“Clarity to calm down the masses – the Steelers are now optimistic Ben Roethlisberger will recover from elbow surgery to reattach three tendons. Not cleared to throw yet but he is tracking better and Ben himself wants and expects to play in 2020 and beyond.”
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
