Marshawn Lynch joined his hometown team in Oakland to great fanfare this offseason. The running back brings a connection to the community as the Raiders stare at a move to Las Vegas down the road.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since putting on an official Raiders jersey, Beast Mode was asked when he decided he wanted to unretire to play for Oakland.
"When I found out they were leaving," Lynch said.
Barring a delay, the Raiders are scheduled to move to Las Vegas in 2020.
Lynch knew what his return to the NFL to play for Oakland would mean to the community.
"I mean, there's been always something to, being from Oakland that, you want to play at home and have the opportunity," Lynch said. "I mean, you'd understand why it's so big for me to come and play. But knowing that they was leaving, a lot of the kids here probably won't have the opportunity for most of their idols growing up, being in your hometown no more. With me being from here and continuing to be here, it was my opportunity to get to see somebody that actually did from where they from and for the team that they probably idolized."
Lynch in a Raiders jersey spurs the belief that Oakland is ready for a championship run.
"I got the whole town, you feel me though, riding with me," Lynch said. "So, that's good but, I think that going on with all that good [expletive] you just said [about the offense] ... But I got a whole new Oakland behind me though. The way we feel just about where we from and why we represent where we from so hard is because we know what the struggle is and how we get down. So every home game that I get to come to this [expletive], I'm probably going to be riding with the whole town. So when you go into something like that, knowing that you got a whole, like it ain't like I'm saying 'I'm coming to y'all's city and riding with y'all.' This is actually like born and raised and bred and pissin' in them hallways and running down them alleyways and I really did that, right here. Now I get the opportunity to play here. All that you said is great and that's good, but it's more for Oakland."
The move from Oakland will be difficult for Raiders fans and the community over the next few years. The presence of Lynch, and a Super Bowl-caliber team, might help to soften some of the hard feelings.
