Are Seahawks players buying into the Lynch-Wilson conspiracy theory?
The Super Bowl was 19 days ago, but it seems like the ending to that game will be talked about until the Seattle Seahawks get back on the field.
The controversial finish which has been analyzed, overanalyzed, and then looked at some more seems to still be on the players' minds, according to one former Seahawk.
Malcolm Butler's interception of Russell Wilson sealed the win for the Patriots, but also stunned the Seahawks, and some players believe the decision to not hand the ball to all-world running back Marshawn Lynch was intentional.
Ben Obomanu, who was with the Seahawks from 2006-13, appearing on Radio KJR in Seattle, said some players believe the pass was called to help Wilson get the MVP instead of Lynch. The idea behind that is that Lynch, who held out last training camp for a new contract, would get leverage from scoring the game-winning touchdown.
"I've heard a couple people express that sentiment," Obomanu said. "... I think though some guys have expressed that same concept of actually believing that the organization in some kind of way was trying to allow Russell Wilson to be the star.
"With the whole thing with Marshawn and interviews and not giving interviews and the MVP conversation and cars and all those things that happen on the field, the guys have expressed ideas of it being easier to handle Russell Wilson accepting those kind of things and having that kind of thrust upon him as opposed to the possibilities that are unknown with Marshawn," he said.
"I don't know if guys actually believe it," he continued. "I don't know if they're hearing it from family and friends but that's one, I don't know if you guys have heard it, but that's one of the craziest kind of things that I've heard in my conversations with guys trying to process this whole thing."
After the game, Seahawks players questioned the decision by the coaches. Head coach Pete Carroll shouldered the blame, as did Wilson.
But weeks later, to still have the thought that the team had an agenda against Lynch in the waning moments of the Super Bowl is quite a conspiracy theory.
It was an inexplicable call, yes, but in all likelihood, just a dumb one -- maybe the dumbest of all time.
The entire interview with Obomanu is below:
