Getty Linebacker Luke Kuechly of the Carolina Panthers follows the play against quarterback Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks in 2015.
The Carolina Panthers had one of the best off-ball linebackers of the last decade in Luke Kuechly. The future Hall of Famer had some great battles with the Seattle Seahawks, and now that he’s retired he has nothing but respect for one of the all-time greats.
Kuechly made a guest appearance on ESPN’s NFL Live and was asked to share some stories about the toughest players he ever had to tackle. Running backs like Jonathan Taylor and Nick Chubb were mentioned, but the top player that Kuechly said was the most difficult player he ever had to bring down was none other than Marshawn Lynch.
“He’s got the full package,” Kuechly said. “Big, strong, physical. But his running style is relentless. I always tell everybody, when we played Marshawn, the most important thing for us was to get bodies around him. A lot of guys weren’t wrapping him up one-on-one.”
Considering he had to play against the Seahawks multiple times, including two NFC Divisional Round contests, it’s easy to see why Kuechly spoke so highly of Beast Mode.
Marshawn Lynch’s Legacy Lives On
Although he hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2019, Lynch is still remembered fondly as one of the league’s biggest personalities and toughest running backs.
Beast Mode finished his 13-year NFL career as a Super Bowl champion, five-time Pro Bowler and member of the NFL’s 2010s All-Decades Team. He ran for 10,413 yards and 85 touchdowns in the league, leading the NFL in rushing TDs in back-to-back seasons in 2013 and 2014.
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Lynch would have a solid argument to make the Hall of Fame off of his production alone, currently sitting at 29th in career rushing yards. However, his personality and larger-than-life character help his case as one of the NFL’s most memorable running backs.
The Panthers actually succeeded in limiting Lynch during their contests. In six career games against Carolina, Lynch only averaged 3.4 yards per rushing attempt, although he did find the end zone five times.
Beast Mode’s Life After Football
To say that Lynch has kept himself busy after retirement would be an understatement. The former Seahawks running back continues to show his support for the city of Seattle, even after hanging up his cleats.
Lynch became a minority owner in the Seattle Kraken, the city’s NHL team, in April. In late December 2021 Lynch told “The Crew” host Josina Anderson he was interested in buying an ownership stake with the Seahawks, but the opportunity to work with the city’s hockey team was also a great opportunity.
Plus, Beast Mode got the chance to ride the Zamboni around after becoming an owner with the Kraken.
New minority owner of the Seattle Kraken Marshawn Lynch riding a Zamboni 😂
🎥: @brianrcobb
Lynch also has some experience as an actor. After retiring from the league in 2019, he appeared on an episode of the Netflix series “Murderville,” an improv comedy show starring Will Arnett that launched in February 2022. He also appeared in several episodes of the HBO hit series “Westworld,” where he played the character “Giggles” on three episodes in 2020. His resume includes 12 acting credits since 2013, award nominations from the 2017 American Black Film Festival and the 2015 BET Awards, and a Vegas Indie Film Fest Golden Bulb award in 2013 for his first film performance, “Matt’s Chance.”