Pete Carroll says Marshawn Lynch is ‘dead serious about helping’ the Seahawks

The news the day before Christmas Eve that former Seattle Seahawk Marshawn Lynch was coming out of retirement to play for the Hawks again was like a holiday miracle for the 12s, who went viral with their excitement.

But what exactly is it that appeals so much about the player, who has inspired everything from the Marshawn Skittles craze to a rewritten Christmas classic, “You’re a Mean One, Marshawn Lynch,” by KIRO Radio’s own Dave Ross?

“He’s a very unique character, and it’s legit,” Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson on the weekly Pete Carroll Show. “It just is, that’s just what he is, and it’s legitimate … He’s got a way about him.”

His character shows humility and a spirit of teamwork, as he has acted as a role model and mentor for newer players over the years.

Dori Monson listener pens ‘Ode to Beast Mode’ for Marshawn Lynch

“He has been so much fun to have join this team, and he has really been an accent to us from the moment he stepped in the building,” Carroll said. “He’s helped young guys, he’s uplifted other people, he’s worked hard, he’s studied his butt off, he’s performed well. He’s ready to come back and do it again … He is dead serious about helping this club, and he’s doing everything he can to make the most of this opportunity.”

And while other players in the NFL have worn their hearts on their sleeves while speaking to the media, Lynch has always kept tight lips and a poker face around reporters.

“He has stood the test of standing up to the media … to a point where he became a huge story when he didn’t say anything,” Carroll said, adding, “People want to know what’s going on, what’s clicking, and he’s hard to figure out.”

During these instances, Carroll would often tell reporters, “He’s telling you volumes in what he’s not saying, so you’ve got stories to write.”

This air of mystery adds to fans’ fascination with and respect for Lynch, according to Carroll.

“He’s displayed a true identity that, we really can’t define it very well, but he’s got one,” Carroll said. “And it’s to be admired.”

Now, going into the first postseason game this weekend against the Philadelphia Eagles, Carroll is more thrilled about the Hawks’ running back game than he has been in a while.

“We’ve got a running back position that’s got some stature to it that I’m excited about,” he said.

And that is why — to his head coach, at least — Lynch is worthy of all the “Beast Mode” praise floating around right now.

“He’s earned it, by his play and by his unique way of looking at the world and the way he presents himself — he’s a true character that stands out there,” Carroll said.

Listen to the Dori Monson Show weekday afternoons from 12-3 p.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.