How did Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald react to being surprised by Marshawn?

Just minutes into Mike Macdonald’s first game with the Seattle Seahawks, there was a surprising moment that could be seen as a passing of the torch.

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There was Macdonald on the sideline, his team having just knotted the score with the Denver Broncos at 3-3, when team legend Marshawn Lynch suddenly appeared behind him. Yeah, Macdonald was plenty busy, but surely not too busy to be put at ease by “Beast Mode” himself, right?

And that’s how Macdonald ended up getting a quick shoulder rub from one of the greatest players to ever wear a Seahawks uniform – in the first quarter of his first game as an NFL head coach. That’ll help you settle into the moment.

BeastMode, what you doin’? 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/RqbhQqLmLm

— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024

Asked about the exchange after Sunday’s game, a 26-20 win over the Denver Broncos, Macdonald seemed just as surprised that Lynch had rubbed his shoulders as everybody else was when they saw it on TV.

“Is that what he did?” Macdonald said with a laugh. “I guess I blacked out.”

Macdonald shared a bit more about interacting with Lynch during his weekly radio show Monday morning with Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk.

For example, well, did he even know Marshawn before this happened?

“We’ve met a couple of times,” Macdonald said.

Even if they’re not all that familiar with each other, Macdonald certainly has admiration for Lynch, who he said Sunday night is “one of my favorite players of all-time.” In fact, this new era for the Seahawks is connected to the previous one because Macdonald said there’s a not-fit-for-radio quote that Lynch once said that his team likes to refer to.

“Personally, how are you not a huge fan of Marshawn Lynch?” Macdonald said to Seattle Sports hosts Brock Huard and Mike Salk. “It’s funny, we talk about team DNA and who we want to be. There’s a quote that he’s said out there that I can’t repeat … Everyone else knows what I’m talking about, but that’s that’s part of our team DNA. He’s right in the thick of it.”

Don’t be surprised if this isn’t the last time that Lynch, who Salk referred to as “America’s guest,” is seen while Macdonald is leading this version of the Seahawks.

“It’s awesome to have him around,” Macdonald said. “Like you said, he’s America’s guest, but he’s also the Seahawks’ guest. We’d love to have him whenever he wants to be here.”

They probably should, considering this stat brought to light by ESPN’s Mina Kimes.

Now that’s a stat, @minakimes. pic.twitter.com/PJpqzoeaZL

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 9, 2024

Catch the weekly Mike Macdonald Show at 9:30 a.m. each Monday morning after Seahawks Sunday games during Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk, or 9:30 a.m. the following weekday morning after non-Sunday Seahawks games. Listen to this week’s edition in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• “We didn’t flinch”: Seahawks defense makes big opening statement
• Seahawks RBs key second-half surge in win over Broncos
• Seahawks already have O-line injury trouble after Week 1 win
• Seahawks Instant Reaction: Weighing in on 26-20 win over Broncos
• Rost: Seattle Seahawks’ season-opening win is a give and take

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