Marshawn Lynch is in big trouble. The Oakland Raiders running back used to do things so that he wouldn't get fined. Now he's going to get fined - and that may be the least of his problems. He made a big mistake on Thursday night - several, actually. Those mistakes lend more credibility to the confounding nature of Lynch's popularity. But they will also result in him being taken off the field for a game, although there is precedent for the NFL to skip that step if they so choose.
Raiders scuffle leads to ejection
In the second quarter of Thursday night's game with the Kansas City Chiefs, tempers briefly flared.
It started with a hit from Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters on Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. Two members of Oakland's offensive line went after Peters for the late hit. Then, Lynch came running on to the field, seemingly to protect Peters instead of his teammates. Why? The two are actually cousins, with their relationship being described as close.
Lynch's run onto the field was not smart, but not necessarily problematic on its own. When he made contact with an official, however, that was an immediate mistake. He knew it, as he quickly made his way off the field, then out of the stadium and to his car after being ejected, failing to stick around until the final horn. The unsportsmanlike conduct penalty marred a game where the Raiders won on a last-second touchdown to end their four-game skid.
Lynch faces the music
In the past, players like Aaron Donald have been spared a suspension for making contact with an official. But running on to the field and grabbing the jersey of an official didn't help Lynch's cause. Neither did the fact that he involved himself in a skirmish he had no part of in the first place. The NFL suspended Lynch for one game on Friday, a penalty the Raiders running back immediately appealed.
There's a chance he wins the appeal, but he shouldn't. What he did was irresponsible and he could've seriously hurt the innocent official. Moreover, he put his team in a bad spot and made his allegiances unclear when it appeared more important to help the opponent, even if the opponent was family. This has already been a questionable year for Lynch on the field, with his return to the football field marred by uneven play.
Now, he may have created a chemistry crisis in the locker room and left the rest of the Raiders to pick up the pieces as Lynch serves his one-game suspension.
