Whatever the question, Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch has the answer. At a (mandatory) media appearance for the upcoming Super Bowl, Lynch stuck to one response Tuesday: "I'm just here so I won't get fined." After he said it nearly 30 times, he added one word: "Time."
It was a five-minute display of staying on message. And in the process, Lynch showed he can put different spins on a rote response, smiling and using slight changes in his words and delivery to make a steadfast refusal to answer questions seem like a joke he was sharing with his audience.
And it seems many other people felt that way, too: The unusual news conference, at which reporters and the NFL Network's Deion Sanders tried to lure Lynch into speaking his mind, has become something of a sensation — and a welcome break from talking about deflated footballs.
At this rate, we won't be surprised if Lynch's "I'm just here so I won't get fined" goes on to a long life on the Internet, or at least on T-shirts.
In case you're new to the story, Lynch has been famously reluctant to speak to the media, earning a $100,000 fine from the NFL last season for his refusal to take part in press sessions.
If you're curious about Lynch, an elite running back who had 13 touchdowns this season, ESPN has a look at his personality.
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