Marshawn Lynch may really be returning to the NFL. Rumors have been running rampant about a possible comeback this season with his hometown team, but there hadn't been any definitive prove from the man himself. Now there is, as the running back is formerly known as "Beast Mode" was seen visiting the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday afternoon, fueling further speculation about a possible return to the league.
Just a visit
Lynch was spotted at the Oakland Raiders facility on Tuesday, according to former NFL punter Pat McAfee, who is now working for Barstool Sports.
He had to receive permission from the Seattle Seahawks, his former team, to take the visit, since he is still technically under contract with the team. If he were to return to the NFL, he would need to be released or traded by the Seahawks.
Lynch reportedly will only come out of retirement for the right opportunity, meaning the chance to play for the team he virtually had to root for as a child. He grew up in Oakland, making the Raiders his local team. Despite being out of the league for a year, the running back will only be 31 years old at the start of next season, making a comeback a realistic physical option if he so chooses.
Don't call it a comeback
When he was playing, the Oakland native was one of the most dynamic running backs on the field, and one of the most confounding off of it.
He went to five Pro Bowls as a member of the Buffalo Bills and Seahawks and won a Super Bowl with Seattle. Lynch became better known, however, for his tiffs with the media, where his refusal to speak candidly became talk show fodder nationwide.
The clock is ticking if he wants to play in his hometown, though. The Raiders have, at most, two more seasons before they move out of Oakland, bound for Las Vegas at some unforeseen date in the future. It's unclear when - or if - football will return to the city after that. If Lynch is seriously considering unretiring, as he reportedly told the team this afternoon, the time to do so is right now.
