Marshawn Lynch and the Hall of Fame

In your shoes, I would stop freakin’ too.

The case against Marshawn Lynch, Hall of Famer would be relatively easy to build, if one were so inclined.

Con HoF

A) His cumulative stats aren’t elite, historically. He’s close to the 10,000-yard cutoff, with 9,112. But how real of a benchmark is ten thousand rushing yards? Consider the men a cut above ten grand. Only 15 men have rushed for more than twelve thousand on the ground. That’s hard to do, which is why 14 of them are in the Hall of Fame. Solely Edgerrin James and his 12,246 have been kept out.

What’s interesting is the composition of the 10,000-12,000 group. It contains 14 guys. One is active: Adrian Peterson. One is retired and not eligible yet: Steven Jackson. Of the remaining dozen, the target group Lynch is seeking to join, only two are in Canton (John Riggins and O.J. Simpson).

If you don’t make it to twelve thousand yards, your odds are not good. You have to be a transcendant talent like Gale Sayers or a lucky S.O.B. like Terrell Davis. And 12,000 is still a long ways off for the Beast.

B) Lynch’s famous habit of giving the media the cold shoulder means he didn’t exactly make a ton of friends in the broadcast business. Relationships mean a lot when it comes to election. Better to have the loudest voices with you, advocating for you. Fair or unfair, Lynch does not.

C) Finally, Lynch was not without his legal run-ins. A hit-and-run incident in Buffalo in ‘08 caused him to briefly lose his driver’s license. He was arrested for driving under the influence in ‘12. While the Pro Football Hall of Fame is not known for denying entrance based on legal troubles, Marshawn faces an uphill climb in terms of image. Again, fair or unfair, he doesn’t have a clean past on his side.

Pro HoF

The case for Beast Mode would include his peak in 2011-2014, his playoff moments, his popularity outside of Seattle. It is also a relatively easy one to make. That’s what makes the debate so fun.

A) Lynch dominated the NFL for four seasons running (get it?). He averaged 1,339 rushing yards and 14 total touchdowns between 2011 and 2014. Averaged. His peak was extended, as far as running backs go. He led the league in rushing teeders twice in that span. He also won a Super Bowl and got within one play (one carry?) of winning another.

In the first half of this decade, Adrian Peterson and Lynch were 1A and 1B, as far as being the league’s most feared backs.

Oh, and he’s not even done. There is unfinished business in Oakland.

B) Lynch is responsible for one of the most memorable postseason moments by any running back, and might have made the earth shake with some regular-season runs too.

You bet your ass there is evidence. And it is stacked.

A forgotten playoff run? Overshadowed by other great moments? Sure, we’ve got that.

C) Finally: Marshawn is a giant star, a celebrity beyond the gridiron. His Beast Mode brand is recognized everywhere and he is beloved and admired outside of Seattle.

The cases are clear on each side. What say you? Besides fleshing out the arguments in the comments, of course?