Ex-Cal Star Marshawn Lynch Considering Return to NFL in 2020

Former Cal running back Marshawn Lynch may not be finished with football after all. He said on ESPN on Monday that his agent is working on a possible return to the Seattle Seahawks for the 2020 season, SI.com reported Tuesday.

"Imma keep it solid. My agent [Doug Hendrickson] has been in talks with Seattle, so like I said, we'll see what happens," Lynch told Scott Van Pelt on ESPN Monday night. "If it works out and I get back up there, it is what it is. And if not, s--t, I'm looking good. So I ain't really tripping too much."

Lynch is 34 years old, and his last season at Cal was 2006. Pro careers average 3.3 years, according to statista, and running backs have the shortest NFL careers, averaging just 2.57 years, because they take such a beating.

But if Lynch comes back in 2020, it will be his 14th pro season. He carried the ball 490 times during his three seasons at Cal and 2,453 times in the pros. That’s nearly 3,000 times he has taken his Beast Mode mentality into the line, perhaps delivering more blows than he received. And that does not include the carries he had in high school at Oakland Tech.

In 2019, Lynch played in one regular-season game and two playoff games for Seattle. He had 30 total carries and rushed for 77 yards and four touchdowns. Three of those touchdowns came in the postseason. He averaged just 2.57 yards per carry, but a number of those rushes were short-yardage and goal-line runs.

Whether Lynch would sign a contract for the entire 2020 season or just part of it remains to be seen, but he seems willing to endure more punishment and dish out some of his own.

The Seahawks may need Lynch’s services, according to Corbin Smith of SeahawkMaven.

Chris Carson, who is expected to be the Seahawks’ starting running back in 2020, is returning after suffering a fractured hip in the 15th game of the 2019 season, forcing him to miss the playoffs after rushing for 1,230 yards. His backup, Rashaad Penny, was a first-round draft pick in 2018 and rushed for 370 yards in 10 games last season before missing the rest of the season with a torn ACL. He might not be ready to play when the 2020 season begins.

Seattle’s running back corps also includes second-year back Travis Homer, 2020 fourth-round draft pick DeeJay Dallas, and undrafted rookies Anthony Jones and Patrick Carr.

Lynch would make at least $1.05 million in base salary in 2020 if decided to sign for the entire season.

Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

Click the "follow" button in the top right corner to join the conversation on Cal Sports Report on SI. Access and comment on featured stories and start your own conversations and post external links on our community page.