Marshawn Lynch turns ‘Take care of yo’ chicken’ into Beast Mode T-shirts, hoodies
Marshawn Lynch is a hero in the Seahawks locker room. He is an advocate for younger players, for the less fortunate, for his hometown.
And he is smart.
To the surprise of no one who has been paying attention the Super Bowl-winning running back and entrepreneur for his decade in—and out of—the NFL, Lynch is selling his postgame speech Sunday night in Green Bay to “take care of yo’ chicken” within his Beast Mode brand of apparel.
For $39.95 you can own a Take Care of Yo’ Chicken T-shirt. For $70.00, you get a black hoodie.
Lynch two touchdowns on short runs in the Seahawks’ season-ending playoff loss to the Packers Sunday night. He had had four touchdowns in the three games he played after he signed back with Seattle Dec. 23, after 14 months out of the league.
After answering whether he would consider returning to play for the Seahawks again next season—“I’m pretty sure we’ll see what’s hangin’,” he said of talks about that with the team—the 33-year-old Lynch turned his attention—and the rest of his lengthy, for him, 87 seconds at the press-conference podium outside the Seahawks’ locker room at Lambeau Field—to younger players inside the team’s locker room.
And beyond.
Lynch talked to the many young professional athletes out there who listen and respect Lynch for his persona and his accomplishments of a Super Bowl title and Pro Bowls. But mostly for keeping it real.
“I saw it like this though, right?” Lynch said, unsolicited—but as is now apparent, not un-calculated. “It’s a vulnerable time for a lot of young dudes, you feel me.”
NFL players do not get paid salaries from the end of each regular season to the start of the following one in September; all salaries are paid in 17 equal installments for each week of the league season.
That’s nine months of fiscal responsibility required, no matter how many figures you make.
“They don’t be takin’ care of their chicken right, you feel me?” Lynch said.
Chicken, meaning their money.
“So, if they was me, or if it was me, or if I had the opportunity to let these little...young sahabs (slang for close friend) know somethin’, I’d say: ‘Take care of y’all money, African.’ Because that (stuff) don’t last forever,” Lynch said.
“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 (flip) you want to. So I tell y’all right now when y’all in it: Take care of y’all bread. So when y’all done you go ahead and take care of yourself.
“So when you are in it now, take care of y’all bodies. Take care of yo’ chicken. You feel me, though. Take care of y’all’s mentals. Cuz, look, we ain’t lastin’ that long. You know, I had a couple players that I played with, you know what I mean, they are no longer here no more. They are no longer.
“So, you feel me? Start takin’ care of y’all mentals and y’all bodies and y’all’s chicken. So when y’all ready to, you know, walk away, you be able to do what you want to do.
“But I appreciate it,” Lynch said. “Thank y’all. Y’all have a good day.”
With that, Lynch walked to his left off the podium stage.
And put “Take Care of Yo’ Chicken” on T-shirts and hoodies.
