Beast Mode

Marshawn Lynch is famous for barreling through defenders and diving backwards into the endzone while performing an obscene gesture.

But Lynch taken his “Beast Mode” mentality and turned into a workhorse in the world of business, proving that his drive extends well past the endzone.

Who is Marshawn Lynch?

Marshawn Lynch, or as he’s known on the football field, “Beast Mode,” is an NFL running back known for his powerful runs and remarkable ability to break tackles.

Born in 1986 in Oakland, California, Lynch was raised by his mother, Delisa, along with three older siblings. 

His football journey began at a young age, and by the time he attended Oakland Tech High School, he was excelling as a four-sport athlete.

In football, Lynch showcased his versatility, playing multiple positions including Defensive Back, Quarterback, Wide Receiver, Linebacker, and Running Back. In 2003, his senior season, he rushed for 1,722 yards and 23 touchdowns in just eight regular season games, adding another 375 yards and 10 touchdowns in two postseason games, earning him the title of SF East Bay Player of the Year.

Alongside football, he competed in basketball, wrestling, and track, where he posted impressive personal records: 10.94 seconds in the 100-meter dash, 6’4” in the high jump, and 20’10” in the long jump. 

Marshawn is as big of a physical specimen as it gets.

He attended UC Berkeley, where he majored in social welfare, but let’s be real… He was there to play football.

Marshawn became the starting running back his sophomore year, accumulating 1,246 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns despite missing two games.

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In his junior year, the team launched a Heisman campaign supported by the launch of marshawn10.com, showcasing his college highlights. Although he did not end up winning the award, he earned First-Team All-American, First-Team All-Pac-10, and Bowl MVP honors, finishing with 1,356 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, making him Cal’s second all-time career rusher. 

In 2007, Lynch declared for the NFL draft and was selected 12th overall by the Buffalo Bills. 

He played with the Bills from 2007 to 2010, earning a spot on the NFL All-Rookie Team. However, he wasn't utilized as much in the passing game and became more of a third-down back.

A trade to the Seattle Seahawks in 2010 marked a turning point in his career. 

It was in Seattle that “Beast Mode” became a household name.

In his first playoff game against the Saints in January 2011, Lynch’s 67-yard touchdown run, where he broke nine tackles, became known as the “Beast Quake.”

Lynch played for the Seahawks from 2010 to 2015, earning four consecutive Pro Bowl selections, a First-Team All-Pro honor, and lead the league in rushing touchdowns twice. 

He also played a pivotal role in the Seahawks' first Super Bowl victory.

After initially retiring in 2015 due to back issues, Lynch returned to the NFL in 2017 to play for his hometown team, the Oakland Raiders. 

During his brief stint in Oakland, he became the 31st player in NFL history to rush for over 10,000 yards by the end of the 2017 season.

He retired again after two seasons with the Raiders but made a short return to the Seahawks for a three-game stretch in 2019, where he moved to fourth place all-time in postseason rushing touchdowns.

Beyond football, Lynch is deeply respected in his hometown of Oakland, where he is known for his philanthropic efforts. 

He runs the Fam 1st Family Foundation, which empowers youth by supporting their athletic, educational, and economic growth. 

In recognition of his impact, Lynch was named an honorary class member of Princeton University’s Class of 2020 after speaking at Princeton’s Class Day.

What is Marshawn Lynch’s Net Worth?

Marshawn Lynch is a unique figure in sports for many reasons.

But one being that he didn’t spend any of his NFL salary and instead chose to live off his endorsement deals while saving the rest.

His net worth is currently estimated at $35 million after earning approximately $57 million in salary throughout his NFL career.

Lynch's first contract was worth $19 million over six years, including a $3 million signing bonus. In 2012, he signed a four-year, up to $30 million deal with the Seattle Seahawks. When he came out of retirement to join the Oakland Raiders, he inked a two-year deal worth $9 million, with incentives that could push the total to $16 million.

At his peak, Lynch’s endorsements were estimated to bring in about $5 million a year, with a career total of around $20 million.

Being the character that he was, he attracted major brands like Nike, Pepsi, Activision, Frito-Lay, Microsoft, EA Sports, and more.

However, his most iconic endorsement was with Skittles, or as he calls them: “Power Pellets.” 

This partnership began with Lynch’s well-known habit of eating Skittles, a tradition that reportedly started in high school. In 2014, he signed an official deal with the candy brand, which included personal compensation and a $10,000 donation to his foundation for every touchdown he scored in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Skittles also provided Lynch with a two-year supply of the candy and a custom dispenser for the locker room.

Marshawn Lynch’s Business Ventures

Marshawn officially retired from the NFL at 33, and his post-football career has been anything but quiet. 

Since hanging up his cleats, Lynch has channeled his “Beast Mode” mentality into building a diverse and impressive portfolio of business ventures.

Entrepreneurship

Marshawn Lynch has masterfully leveraged his personal brand to build a successful portfolio of businesses.

In 2013, he made headlines by reportedly earning six figures from licensing the “Beast Mode” trademark, which he had wisely secured. In true Marshawn fashion, he donated 100% of those profits to charity. 

That same year, just before his first retirement, he took his on-field persona and turned it into an off-field business, launching the Beast Mode Brand.

Beast Mode

The Beast Mode Brand began as a lifestyle and performance brand, offering apparel like t-shirts, hats, shorts, and more. 

The brand's first retail store opened in Lynch’s hometown of Oakland, with another soon following in Seattle.

In 2020, Lynch took the brand to new heights by securing an exclusive partnership with Fanatics, a leading online retailer of licensed sportswear. 

This marked Fanatics' first e-commerce deal with an individual athlete, and it proved to be a success, generating $5 million in additional revenue from Q1 to Q2 of 2021. 

As always, Lynch gave back to his community, donating a portion of the merchandise sales to his Fam 1st Family Foundation.

The Beast Mode entity further expanded with Beast Mode Productions, Lynch’s production company, which employs a team of six, all with ties to the Bay Area. 

The company has produced commercials for Skittles, worked on the Jumanji movie, and collaborated with Bleacher Report on various shorts and feature films.

Another branch of the Beast Mode Brand is Beast Mode Marketing, a partnership Lynch formed with NFL agents Doug Hendrickson and CJ LaBoy, two of the best in the business. 

This agency represents athletes like cornerback Marcus Peters, running back Najee Harris, and quarterback Josh Johnson, all of whom have ties to Oakland and the Bay Area. 

Lynch is also breaking into the NIL space, starting with deals for NFL prospects like Justin Flowe, a linebacker who transferred from Oregon to Arizona.

With the Beast Mode Brand reportedly generating around $10 million in revenue, Lynch could be on track to a net worth of $100 million from this venture alone.

Dodi Blunts

Marshawn is on a mission  to put Oakland on the map for producing the highest quality blunts. 

For those unfamiliar, a blunt is a cigar hollowed out and filled with marijuana.

In 2021, Lynch launched Dodi, a premium blunt brand that partners with top growers to produce high-quality strains. These products are sold in dispensaries throughout the Bay Area. 

This venture began as a partnership with Toronto-based 2nd and Goal Ventures, with a unique twist: a portion of sales goes toward funding the Last Prisoner Project, a nonprofit advocating for drug policy reform.

Jeff Goldenberg, founding partner of 2nd and Goal Ventures, stated that Dodi Blunts “challenges the traditional concept of ‘Game Day’ rituals and hopes to promote and normalize the relationship between sports and cannabis cultures.”

Before the Raiders moved from Oakland to Las Vegas, Lynch famously lit a blunt on the Al Davis Memorial Torch, stating, “It was only right to send the Raiders off in a real Oakland way.” 

From that moment, Lynch's move into the cannabis industry seemed inevitable.

Sports Ownership

Marshawn Lynch quickly realized that the path to generational wealth lies in ownership. 

Since retiring, he has strategically invested in the world of professional sports, building an impressive and diverse portfolio.

Seattle Kraken: In April 2018, Lynch purchased a minority share of the NHL expansion team, the Seattle Kraken, alongside rapper Macklemore as part of a minority investor group. Their aim was to bring a fresh perspective to the franchise, particularly in community engagement and outreach. While Lynch’s stake is less than 1% of the franchise, NHL teams have outperformed the S&P 500 over the past 30 years. Today, the Kraken is valued at over $1 billion.

NRG Esports: Lynch entered the esports scene in September 2017, joining a $15 million Series B investment round alongside big names like Shaquille O’Neal, Jennifer Lopez, and Alex Rodriguez. NRG Esports has since become one of the most valuable esports organizations globally, starting with a team in League of Legends and expanding to compete in games like Valorant, Rocket League, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, PUBG, and Overwatch.

Beasts of Fan-Controlled Football League: Lynch is a co-owner of the Beasts, an indoor football team in the Fan-Controlled Football League (FCFL), alongside Miroslav Barnyashev, Todd Gurley, and Renee Montgomery. Founded in 2020, the FCFL offers a unique experience where fans can vote on key team decisions, from the team name to even play-calling. Fans can also own shares in the team alongside traditional investors.

Bay Area Panthers: In 2020, Lynch expanded his indoor football interests by purchasing the Bay Area Panthers, a team in the Indoor Football League (IFL). He co-owns the team with Roy Choi, who also owns the IFL’s Cedar Rapids River Kings and San Diego Strike Force.

Professional Fighters League: Lynch is both an investor and ambassador for the Professional Fighters League (PFL). He joined the PFL in 2021, three years after its launch, and has actively promoted events. The league has even named the “BeastMode Fighter of the Night” in his honor.

Angel Investor

Marshawn Lynch hasn’t limited his investments to the sports world; he’s also actively diversifying his portfolio through strategic investments in various companies.

Altro: In March 2024, Marshawn joined a $4 million investment round in the Los Angeles-based credit-building app Altro, alongside notable investors like Quavo and Chris Paul. Altro, which has raised $22 million to date, helps users build credit by leveraging recurring monthly expenses such as rent, Netflix, and music streaming services.

Oakland Roots: Lynch became involved with the ownership group of the Oakland Roots in 2021, two years after the sports club’s launch. The club uses the power of sports to drive positive change in the Oakland community, focusing on social justice initiatives and community investment.

Proto/Portl: In 2021, Marshawn participated in a $12 million Series A investment in Proto/Portl, a company specializing in holoportation technology—think Star Wars-style holograms. The company’s machines, which are 7x5 feet and priced at $60,000, create 4K volumetric hologram displays. Proto/Portl targets industries such as sports, entertainment, healthcare, and corporate events. Other investors in this round included Quavo, Breanna Stewart, Albert Pujols, and Luke Walton.

Kinly: Marshawn invested in Kinly in 2021, ahead of the company’s $15 million Series A round in 2022, which valued the fintech firm at $65 million. Kinly is a neobank designed to serve the Black community, offering streamlined mobile and online banking services. Lynch exited his investment in May 2023.

Chronicled: Chronicled is a Bay Area-based technology company that uses blockchain to verify the authenticity of products in the sneaker resale market. Marshawn participated in a $1.4 million funding round alongside Pantera Capital and Mandra Capital. Launched in 2014, Chronicled’s “Smart Tags” verified the authenticity of over 15,000 sneakers in its first year.

Media

Marshawn Lynch made headlines during Super Bowl XLIX Media Day in 2015 when he famously responded to every question with, “I’m just here so I won’t get fined.”

His reluctance to engage with the media has been well-documented over the years, as seen in an earlier interview where he answered every question with a simple “yeah.”

Despite being uninterested in interviews, Marshawn has embraced roles in various media projects. 

He appeared in a Season 7 episode of The League and played a humorous version of himself in Season 4 of Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

In 2019, Lynch took on a more serious role as a cast member in the third season of HBO’s drama Westworld. 

His media presence doesn’t stop there; he’s also made appearances in Bar Rescue, Murderville, The Great American Baking Show, and was even portrayed as Mr. G in the film Bottoms.

But some of my favorites are the Shorts he participated in for Prime Video this past season.

The Success Strategies of Marshawn Lynch

1. Stay True to You: Marshawn is celebrated not just for his powerful runs but for his authentic personality, building a personal brand that fans love.

2. Let Beast Mode Feel You: Marshawn channels the energy of "Beast Mode" into every aspect of his life—whether it’s on the football field or in his business ventures. 

3. Take Care of Your Chickens: Marshawn’s decision to save his entire NFL salary and live off his endorsement deals allowed him the financial freedom to pursue his passions post-retirement. 

4. Be on that Owner Hype: Marshawn understands that ownership is crucial to building lasting wealth so that his income isn’t tied to trading time for money.

5. Give Back to Your Community: Marshawn consistently finds ways to integrate charitable efforts into his ventures. It’s no surprise his hometown of Oakland loves him.

The Bottom Line

Marshawn built his success by staying true to himself, regardless of what others think. 

From crafting brands that reflect his unique personality to investing in industries he’s passionate about, Marshawn proves that being genuine is a winning strategy.

If there’s one lesson to learn from Marshawn, it’s that authenticity resonates. 

People are drawn to those who are unapologetically themselves.