Running back Marshawn Lynch #24 of the Seattle Seahawks leaves his podium during a Super Bowl XLIX media availability at the Arizona Grand Hotel on January 28, 2015 in Chandler, Ariz. (By Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
NFL players aren’t allowed to wear unapproved attire to league events, such as Super Bowl Media Day, but Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (pictured) did this week, continuing to run out of bounds, according to the New York Daily News.
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The spirited athlete wore a cap from his “Beast Mode” clothing site. Lynch, not known for his friendliness toward the media, says he showed up Tuesday to avoid being fined, saying, “I’m just here so I don’t get fined,” and, “You know why I’m here.” He also the wore the hat Wednesday to a brief media session, the News writes:
While Lynch likely won’t be fined for his petulant refusal to cooperate with the media, an NFL source confirmed that he could face a fine as high as $100,000 for wearing a hat with a logo that wasn’t approved by the NFL during Super Bowl week…
[The hat] is not an NFL-approved brand or marketing partner, and the league tends to take those issues far more seriously than it does media rules. In 2007, during Super Bowl XLI Media Day, Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher was famously fined $100,000 for wearing a hat with a “Vitaminwater” logo on it.
Lynch earned the nickname “Beast Mode” for his aggressive playing style, which he is parlaying into profits off the field. His clothing website says the $33 hat he wore on Media Day is sold out, which likely cushions the blow of a $100,000 fine. And ESPN notes that he is the NFL’s most popular running back. Touché.
Whether the NFL likes Lynch’s antics or not, they make for good theater ahead of the Super Bowl, where his team is slated to play against the New England Patriots on Sun., Feb. 1, in Arizona. Who knows, Lynch’s off-the-field gamesmanship could translate in to high ratings for the Super Bowl, which saw a rise in television viewership last year after a ratings slump.
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Seahawks Running Back Marshawn Lynch Faces Fine For Wearing Wrong Hat To Super Bowl Media Day [VIDEO] was originally published on newsone.com
