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Marshawn Lynch Fined for TD Celebration: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction
January 22, 2015
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch's disregard for NFL policies has cost him again. Lynch was fined $20,000 for making an obscene gesture during Seattle's win over the Packers in the NFC Championship Game.
Continue for updates.
NFL Warns Lynch Ahead of Super Bowl
Saturday, Jan. 24
Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk reports the NFL will be on the lookout for Lynch to make a similar gesture in the Super Bowl:
The NFL wants Lynch to know that officials will be on the lookout and ready to assess a 15-yard penalty if Lynch does it again. NFL V.P. of Officiating Dean Blandino told ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio that the Seahawks have been warned that if Lynch makes an obscene gesture at any time during Super Bowl XLIX, the Seahawks will be penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Blandino told Paolantonio that if Lynch grabs his crotch after scoring a touchdown, “that means they will kick off from the 20 yard line.
NFL Fines Lynch for Celebration
Thursday, Jan. 22
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Lynch was fined $20,000 for his "obscene" gesture after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter of Seattle's come-from-behind NFC Championship Game win over the Green Bay Packers.
However, there could be a bigger fine on the way:
On Thursday, Jan. 22, Lynch sounded off on the fine:
Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith added context to Lynch's tweet:
Lynch is apparently referring to the NFL fining Seahawks receiver Chris Matthews $11,025 for celebrating with Lynch. The NFL reportedly thought that Matthews grabbed his crotch, which is why he was fined, although it wasn’t clear from replays that he had actually done that.
This is not Lynch's first offense.
Per Spotrac, he was fined $111,177 in 2009 and suspended for three games for violating the league's personal conduct policy. He picked up a $5,250 bill in 2013 for wearing green shoes (a uniform violation), $100,000 in 2014 ($50,000 for failing to speak to the media and another $50,000 from a similar incident in 2013) and $11,050 in 2014 for excessive celebration.
And that list didn't include Lynch's $10,000 fine for wearing "Skittles" shoes in 2011.
Throughout, Lynch has taken part in media sessions that have been brief, to say the least. Gregg Bell of The News Tribune provided a transcript of one session following a Nov. 23, 2014, game against Arizona:
There was also controversy prior to the NFC Championship Game against Green Bay. The league was threatening to suspend Lynch if he wore nonapproved gold cleats. Lynch complied with the rule before kickoff.