Marshawn Lynch Talks Playing with Russell Wilson amid Criticism of Broncos QB

Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson were teammates on the Seattle Seahawks from 2012 through 2015 and briefly again in 2019. The running back spoke about their time together during a recent appearance on the I Am Athlete podcast.

Lynch talked about Wilson with Brandon Marshall, Adam "Pacman" Jones and LenDale White (59-minute mark) with the criticism the quarterback faced during his first season on the Denver Broncos serving as the backdrop.

Yet he had largely positive things to say about the quarterback even if they are two different people off the field and not best friends.

"At the end of the day, I can respect that as a football player," Lynch said when discussing the sacrifices Wilson made and his work ethic both on and off the field.

Lynch also said he would definitely take Wilson on his team, while White suggested Denver's decision to fire former head coach Nathaniel Hackett and hire Sean Payton will help the nine-time Pro Bowler get back on track and rediscover the form he showed in Seattle.

Wilson and Lynch helped the Seahawks reach back-to-back Super Bowls during the 2013 and 2014 campaigns. They won the first and lost the second in stunning fashion when Wilson threw a late interception at the goal line instead of handing it off to Lynch.

Lynch said he initially thought about confronting Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll for the play call. But he explained that he felt more respected in the long run because of how many people have told him Seattle should have just handed him the ball in that situation.

As for Wilson, he was widely considered one of the best quarterbacks in the league during his time on the Seahawks.

Expectations were sky-high when he arrived in Denver ahead of the 2022 campaign, but he completed a career-worst 60.5 percent of his passes for just 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Hackett didn't even make it through the entire season before he was fired, and the Broncos finished in last place in the AFC West at 5-12.

Payton had one of the most successful coach-quarterback pairings in recent history with Drew Brees, so perhaps he will help Wilson return to the dominance he once showed.

If Lynch's comments are any indication, the quarterback will put in the necessary work before the 2023 campaign.