Seattle Seahawk’s power back Marshawn Lynch may have been at Super Bowl podiums this week physically, but mentally he checked out as soon as the first news reporter offered him a microphone. Decked out in gold shades and his own custom Beast Mode hat each day, Lynch approached the podium with his phone set to five minutes and proceeded to tune out for the duration of his “interviews”.

“I’m here so I won’t get fined” has become the quote of the week across the country, as it has already spawned it’s own series of T-Shirts and other memorabilia. Lynch has gained quite a bit of support from a large number of fans, perhaps even a majority of them, for his antics with the media.

Question; why?

Lynch has been allowed to operate under the guise of a quiet locker room leader for too long now, dating back to his time at Buffalo when he struck a pedestrian with his car driving through downtown. At some point, it needs to be addressed that he is not above the NFL’s rules, regardless of how much of a star player he is.

In each NFL contract, there are sections that outline when players must talk with the media — after practices leading up to games and following the games themselves. These interviews are typically not overly pervasive, and are fairly brief.

However, they apparently make Lynch feel like he is being harassed.

“Hey look, I mean, all week I told y’all what’s up,” Lynch said. “And for some reason y’all continue to come back and do the same thing that y’all did. I don’t know what story y’all trying to get out of me. I don’t know what image y’all trying to portray of me. But it don’t matter what y’all think, what y’all say about me.”

Spoken like the misguided Robin Hood-esque antihero he is. Between his refusal to respond to interviews and his various touchdown crotch grabs, Lynch has gone out of his way to state his own personal rebellion against the NFL and has incurred over $130,000 in fines this year for it.

Lynch has eclipsed his portrayal as the shy lionheart of his young team in favor of the arrogant prima donna of the Seahawks locker room. He has pointed to his fatherless past in the rugged streets of Oakland, California for his social issues. The Seahawks have looked the other way of Lynch’s media awkwardness due to his production on the field.

However, a player bombastic enough to reach for his package on national television has no issue with being camera shy. Perhaps it is time that we, as NFL fans, stop making excuses for the ultra-talented and start holding them accountable to do their jobs and be responsible, even if they do not like it.

Most everyone can understand a person who is perhaps camera shy, or socially awkward, or who is having a bad day every now and then. However, there is a fine line in place between tribulation and insubordination on the podium, and when you make seven figures per year to play a game meant for children, there is no excuse.