Take Care of Y’all Chicken

It was the 2020 NFL Playoffs. My Seattle Seahawks had just seen their season cut short by the Green Bay Packers. Marshall Lynch had been called out of retirement as he agreed to play for the Seahawks for the final few games of the regular season and then the playoffs. Seattle had seen a majority of their running backs go down with injuries, so they needed the help.

After the game, Marshawn took part in the post game press conference. He was asked a few questions about the game, in which he gave very brief answers. Nothing out of the ordinary from Lynch. Then he was asked if he was retiring again after that season. He began to answer, then stopped himself short. He then went in only a direction we’ve known Marshawn to take it. As quoted by the Los Angeles Times:

“Look, I’ll say like this though, right?” Lynch said. “This is a vulnerable time for a lot of these young dudes, you feel me? They don’t be taking care of their chicken right, you feel me? So if it was me, or if I had a opportunity to let these little young sahobs know something, I’d say take care of y’all money, African, because that … don’t last forever. Now I done been on the other side of retirement and it’s good when you get over there and you can do what … you want to. So I tell y’all right now while y’all in it: Take care of y’all bread, so when y’all done go ahead and take care of yourself.

“So while y’all at it right now, take care of y’all bodies, you know what I mean; take care of y’all chicken, you feel me; take care of y’all mentals because, look, we ain’t lasting that long. I had a couple players that I played with that they’re no longer here no more — they’re no longer — so, I mean, you feel me? So you start taking care of y’all mentals, y’all bodies, y’all chicken, so when y’all ready to walk away, walk away and you’ll be able to do what you want to do.”

The quote that stood out was “take care of y’all chicken”. He was talking about money, as he lived in a world where so many young men got too much money too fast, made poor decisions with it, and left the NFL broke. There’s a whole documentary called Broke, if you’re so inclined for a deep dive on the issue. Marshawn, on the other hand, retired the first time around without spending a single dime from a game check. $47 million, in the bank, just from the games he played in. He supported himself off of endorsements and business endeavors. He might be a goofball at times, but when it came down to business, he was dead serious.

Marshawn was always an example of how to live life for me. He showed me you could be yourself and still be successful at what you do, with a little bit of balance. There’s a time and a place for the shenanigans. I’m now in a leadership position and I’ve witnessed a few times now of younger guys who come in, want to goof around, and then play victim when the opportunities don’t land in their lap. I just had my latest example work his last day just a few hours before writing this. I have a feeling it’s going to hit him real fast just how patient we were with him.

I could be wrong. Maybe a change of scenery is what they need to be motivated and successful. I root for it in fact. But, it’s frustrating when you’ve given someone all the information and the tools only to see them shit it away over and over again. I often wonder if there’s something wrong with my approach. But, the only thing I aim to do is be transparent and set the expectations and leave the rest up to them. I’ve given a minimal effort at jobs in the past myself and been very aware of the fact that I was doing so. So, I don’t expect for a second anyone is actually oblivious to their own shortchanging of effort. They know.

There’s also the other bits of Marshawn’s advice. Take care of your mentals and bodies. Mind and body. Eat right, get some exercise, and get some decent sleep. Maybe playing video games until 1 AM when you have a 6:30 AM shift upcoming isn’t a good play. I missed a concert this past weekend because I worked early the next morning. It’s called adulting. Take care of yourself properly and the results will come. Trust the process.

Again, none of this is to say you can’t have fun. But, there’s a time and a place for it. Marshawn always aimed to “run through a motherfucker’s face” every play. The result was setting off seismic activity and a legacy.