Throughout parts of 12 NFL seasons, Marshawn Lynch's ferocious running style made him one of the most popular players in the league.
Nearly two years removed from playing in his most recent game, Lynch now finds himself enjoying watching some of his former peers thrive, most notably the 1-2 punch that the Cleveland Browns have in their backfield.
In an appearance on ESPN First Take Wednesday, the former All-Pro was asked which running backs remind him of what he was at the height of his powers. In addition to the NFL's two-time defending rushing champion Derrick Henry, Lynch mentioned Nick Chubb.
Lynch then deviated from the top 10 running backs list in Madden 22 that was being discussed to talk about how much he enjoys watching Kareem Hunt as well.
"It's a couple of them on there that I didn't see, too. Kareem Hunt -- that boy run that thing like a Mack [truck]," Lynch said. "And he don't wear no gloves, so you know he's gutter with it, though. He don't do it with no gloves, he's old-school, Pop Warner. He's like 'Just give me the ball, and let me going ahead and get down.'"
Chubb and Hunt were the only teammates who both appeared on Audacy's top 10 running backs for the 2021 season countdown, with Chubb checking in at No. 4 and Hunt at No. 9.
Already a two-time Pro Bowler, Chubb rushed for 1,067 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2020, despite missing four games. The former second-round pick averaged a career-high 5.6 yards per carry.
Meanwhile, Lynch -- who spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons with the then-Oakland Raiders -- got an up-close view of Hunt, who won a rushing title in his rookie season as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. Hunt rushed for 841 yards in 2020, adding 38 receptions for 304 yards in the passing game. In total, the 25-year-old combined for 11 touchdowns last year.
With Chubb entering the final year of his rookie contract, it's entirely possible that this will be the final season that he and Hunt are teammates. In that final season, though, Kevin Stefanski figures to lean on the two running backs, in addition to a passing game led by Baker Mayfield that will get a healthy Odell Beckham Jr. back. The Browns have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations in 2021, and Lynch looks forward to watching the two running backs at the forefront of the offense.
"Both of them. And they be running. They [are] old-school running too, like you probably could have dropped them off like back in my rookie year (2007) and they would have been solid too."
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