You Will Love Marshawn Lynch Even More When You See How He’s Spending His Retirement

The prevalence of the post-retirement blues for former professional athletes is likely far less reported than it is real. Three-time Pro Bowl running back Tiki Barber once describes the pitfalls of retirement in this way: “You’ve been replaced on the field and you’ve been replaced in people’s minds. That’s when you start getting depressed.”

And this doesn’t even take into account the financial battles pro athletes face as they attempt to reclaim their identity post-playing days. A 2009 Sports Illustrated study claimed that 78 percent of NFL retirees have “gone bankrupt or are under financial stress because of joblessness or divorce” within two years of their careers ending (See: Terrell Owens, Warren Sapp, Michael Bennett).

These are easy traps to fall victim to, as an athlete’s identity and self-worth during his playing days is largely predicated on external adulation.

Which is why it warmed my little heart to learn that Marshawn Lynch has not spent one dime of his $50 million he earned in his NFL career. On top of that, he appears to be making good use of his first offseason retirement season by helping build houses for people in Haiti.

According to For the Win, Marshawn and former Lions player Stephen Tulloch and the Seahawks’ Clif Avril are in Haiti together, building a school with the Cliff Avril Foundation. They’re also hosting a mobile medical clinic and a football camp.

https://twitter.com/BabersGreen/status/722913291773693954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/Nigel_D/status/723158892641804288

Good on you, Marshawn.