misconceptionsabouthimself.Healso
acknowledgesmistakeshehasmade
—misdemeanorcharges involving
ahit-and-run, carryingaconcealed
weaponandachargeofdrivingunder the
influence,which laterwasreduced toa
recklessdrivingcharge. “I’vemadesome
mistakes,”Lynchsays. “If Ididn’t, I’dbea
saint,orsomething like that.ButIknow
damnwell I’mnosaint.”
ButLynchand thoseclose tohim
pointwithpride tohisworkwithhisFam
1stFamilyFoundationand fundraising
foracommunitycenter inOakland that
isscheduled toopensome time in2016.
LynchandJohnsonhaveoperateda free
footballcamp fornineyears, and they
arealreadysponsoringworkshops for
lifeskills, includingone forpotential
architects.
Muchof the funding for the
foundationcomes fromLynch’s
endorsements,which includeNikeand
Skittles, acandyhebeganeatingasakid
andalwayseatsduringgames.Seattle
fans throwpackagesofSkittleson the
fieldwhenLynchscores touchdowns.
Lynchsignedacontractextension in
theoffseason thatwill takehim through
the2017NFLseason.Hewillearn$31
millionover thenext threeseasonsno
matterhowmuchhe iscriticized forhis
unwillingness to talkabout football,
whichhesaysdoesnotbotherhim.
“Idon’thaveaproblemwithpeople
judgingme,”Lynchsays, “becausewhen
Icomehome, somethingI’mrealproud
of isIhavebeenable to [financially] take
careofmymama,mybrother,mysisters,
mycousins,my family.Sosaywhatever
youwantaboutme. Itdoesn’tmatter.”
Theothersideof thedefiantLynch
is the thoughtfulLynch,whohaskids
athiscampchecked forenlargedhearts
becausea formercampmemberonce
died from thecondition. “Ireallyadmire
hiscommitment togivingback to the
communityand tobeingarolemodel for
kids thatdesperatelyneedarolemodel,”
saysNewsom. “I think thatMarshawn
has learned fromhismistakesandmoved
forward tobeabetterperson.”
Lynch isalso
aware thathismany
brutalon-field
collisions—“Idon’t
turndowna lotof
contact,”hesays—couldhaveanegative
effectafterhe leaves thegame.Sohe
has toldSeahawks teamdoctorStan
Herring thatwhenheretires,hewillhelp
campaign for funding thatwillhelp in the
researchand treatmentofconcussions.
Lynchhasbeensuccessful inaway
akid fromNorthOaklandcouldnot
dream. In theprocess,hehasbecome the
NFL’smost interestingandmysterious
character—onewho isuntroubled
by the imageofnotcaringabouthis
public image,butonewhocaresdeeply
aboutprojectingapositive image inhis
Oaklandcommunity.Andhe’smade it
prettyclear thathe’snotabout tochange.
JANHUBBARD
is a veteranwriter whohasworked
for threemajor newspapers, including
Newsday
.
Heonlywrote this story sohewouldn’t get fined.
LYNCHONTHEDECK
OFHISBAYAREAHOME.
WHENHE’SNOTON
THEFIELD,HEGIVES
BACKTOTHECITYHE
CAMEFROM.
52
SEPTEMBER2015
AMERICANWAY
