12:39 AM ET
Rob DemovskyESPN Staff Writer
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- Covered Packers for Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1997-2013
- Two-time Wisconsin Sportswriter of the Year as selected by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Marshawn Lynch and Aaron Rodgers might never play on the same football field again, and if Sunday’s NFC divisional playoff game at Lambeau Field was the last time the former college teammates share a field, they’ll each have a memento.
Lynch, the Seattle Seahawks running back who came out of retirement to rejoin his old team last month, walked into the Green Bay Packers locker room after the game with his No. 24 game jersey. He signed it and gave it to Rodgers.
The Packers quarterback returned the favor.
The two former University of California stars then moved to a side room, where they spoke for several minutes after Green Bay’s 28-23 victory that sent the Packers to the NFC Championship Game and might have sent Lynch back into retirement.
Lynch and Rodgers were college teammates in 2004 and almost were reunited in the NFL during the 2010 season, when the Packers were in trade talks with Lynch’s then-team, the Buffalo Bills.
“He is one of my all-time favorite teammates, and I only had to play one year with him,” Rodgers said. “But he has just an incredible personality and charisma, and he’s just so fun to be around. There was, obviously, conversation years ago about picking him up in a trade that fell through that would’ve been a lot of fun to play some more years together.
“But I just have a ton of respect for him in his career. He’s one of those transcendent players that is so likable and so respected by so many people, and I’m just fortunate to have gotten to play with him for a year. And so we were just catching up, talking about some silly stuff that happened back in the day and seeing where he’s at. He’s a lot of fun to be around, and it’s fun to see him.”
Lynch rushed 12 times for just 26 yards but scored two touchdowns, giving him four in his three-game return to Seattle.
“Pretty solid,” Lynch said of his touchdown production.
When asked whether he had plans to return for another season, Lynch gave a long answer without answering the question.
“It’s a vulnerable time for a lot of these young dudes, you feel me?” Lynch said. “They don’t be taking care of their chicken right, you feel me? If they was me or I had the opportunity, the opportunity to let them know something, I say, ‘Take care of y’all money because that s— don’t last forever.’ Now I’ve been on the other side of retirement, and it’s good when [you] get over there and you can do what the f— you want to, so I tell y’all right now while y’all in it: Take care of y’all bread so when you’re all done, you go ahead and take care of yourself. So while y’all at it right now, take care of y’all bodies. Don’t take care of y’all chicken, don’t take care of y’all mentals, ’cause we ain’t lasting that long.
“I had a couple players that I played with that they no longer here no more, they no longer — so you feel me? Start taking care of y’all mental, y’all bodies and y’all chicken for when you’re all ready to walk away, you walk away and be able to do what you want to do, but I appreciate it. Thank you all and have a good day.”
