NFL Rumors: Marshawn Lynch Quits Seattle Seahawks; Russell Wilson Confirms RB Retirement

Feb 09, 2016 10:26 AM EST

The Seattle Seahawks and Marshawn Lynch have a long history. Both have brought memorable victories and achievements as a team. However, the Seattle Seahawks and the running back also share a complicated relationship. In the recent announcement of Lynch, though, it looks like the link between him and the widely loved NFL team will soon be broken.

Lynch has been known to be a man of very few words. The running back has earned the reputation of shunning reporters who seek interviews and refusing to answer question he deem to be too intrusive. Hence, it came as no surprise when the Seattle Seahawks star opted to use a picture to announce his decision to retire.

In a Twitter post, Lynch shared a photo of a pair of Seattle Seahawks shoes hanging from an invisible wire. The social media announcement came in the middle of the Super Bowl 50 game between the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers. As Peyton Manning and Von Miller crushed the Cam Newton squad, the Seattle Seahawks fans and players were in a frenzy over Lynch's announcement.

In an interview last month, John Schneider revealed that Lynch aims to retire before the NFL season ends. The Seattle Seahawks general manager disclosed that the NFL team attempted to discuss the other options with the running back, whom he recognized as one of the cornerstones of the football squad.

"Really, quite frankly, I think that we know that we feel like he is leaning towards retirement," Schneider said of Lynch via Seattle Times. He added, "We feel like we are ready to move forward. Moving on kind of seems like, 'OK we are just passing this guy off to the side.' We recognize what he has done for the organization. So again, we are going to try to handle it as properly as we can, so we want to make sure that he is in the right frame of mind and he's making the correct decision for himself."

Meanwhile, Russell Wilson also expressed his gratitude for Lynch's part in his growth. The Seattle Seahawks quarterback notably benefited from the running back's skills. Wilson is said to have grown considerably in the field due to Lynch's ability to aid in his plays.

"Honor playing with one of the best running backs of all time! Going to miss sharing the backfield with you 24," Wilson shared via Twitter following Lynch's announcement. The Seattle Seahawks quarterback then ended the post with #BeastMode.

Fans of the Seattle Seahawks have given Lynch the moniker "Beast Mode" due to his aggressive style in the field. His tendency to target breaking tackles as well as his capacity to run down the opposing team's defenders also contributed to his "Beast Mode" persona.