Carroll and Lynch are ‘working through things’

Pete Carroll and Marshawn Lynch are working through things. (USATSI)

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was asked about this relationship with running back Marshawn Lynch on Monday, and Carroll didn't deny that there might be a few issues between the two.

The Seahawks coach believes the issues stem from training camp when Lynch held out in hopes of getting a raise. During an interview with 710 ESPN in Seattle, Carroll said he's currently working through things with Lynch.

"We're working through it," Carroll said. "Marshawn is a very private person and we've all learned that and we've respected that about him for years. I've respected the heck out of that when we got to the Super Bowl last year and everyone was clamoring and all that."

The tenuous relationship between Lynch and Carroll has been in the spotlight since Sunday, when Lynch decided not to go into the Seahawks locker room at halftime of Seattle's 24-20 loss to Kansas City.

It's unusual for a player to stay on the sideline for treatment during halftime and Carroll seemed to at least acknowledge that by mentioning that the decision was Lynch's, not Carroll's.

The Seahawks coach said Beast Mode stayed on the sideline because Lynch decided that was the "best thing for him."

"He felt like getting stretched out, staying there was the best thing for him at halftime," Carroll said. "We're trying to listen to him listen to his body and we're going to try to go with that as much as we can. He's been stellar in his ability to get back, fight back, get through it."

Lynch did fight through whatever injury was bothering him to play in the second half. The Seahawks didn't seem to change their game plan and Lynch was given 11 of his 24 total carries in the second half.

After the Chiefs game, Lynch was asked by NFL.com about his relationship with Carroll.

"Pete's my head coach. Well, I mean, you know, he's really not in my position meetings," Lynch said. "It ain't like we get to chop it up like that."

As for what happened over the summer, that might be the root of the issues between Lynch and the Seahawks, but Carroll says the team had no problem with Lynch holding out.

"I think we had plenty of conversations about that in the summertime and he made his decision to stay out and we respected that, too," Carroll said. "We had no problem with that."

Carroll promised to keep working through things with his mercurial star running back.

"As we're moving forward, he's giving us everything he's got and we're working through it and that's where that is right now," Carroll said. "This football team is determined to do well. We still have a lot out there. This is a tremendous finish opportunity and Marshawn, hopefully if he can get back again this week, he'll be right in the middle of it with us."

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