On Sunday night, , indicating the 2015 season was his last in the NFL. Lynch topped 1,000 rushing yards in six of his nine seasons, compiling a total of 9,112 rushing yards (36th all time) and 74 rushing touchdowns (tied for 24th, with Earl Campbell and Leroy Kelly). The five-time er and one-time All-Pro shone in the playoffs, where he had 937 rushing yards (eighth all time) and nine rushing touchdowns (tied for seventh all time, with Jerome Bettis, Larry Csonka and Tony Dorsett). He helped the win their first ever title, then took them right back to Super Sunday the next Maurice Cheeks Jersey year. And, of course, who can forget ?As you consider Lynch's place in the football pantheon, is he a r? He absolutely is a r, as Marshawn embodied an entire city. The resurgence of the would not have happened if not for him. They had an instant run game because of his presence; without him, Seattle wouldn't have won XLVIII or returned to the big game again the following year. I think is close, but I don't think he quite makes the cut. I think he was fortunate to be with a team that adhered to a run-heavy philosophy, meaning he had a bigger role than his counterparts on most other teams. He was a good back in a run-friendly system, but was he dominant enough to make the Hall? Consider that undrafted rookie topped Lynch's career regular-season single-game high (153 rushing yards) twice, putting up and . Heck, Terrell Davis -- who had a similarly short career but notched a 2,000-yard season, won an MVP award, has two rings and is the all-time leader in playoff rushing George McGinnis Jersey average (142.5) -- can't get in (though I personally believe he should be in), making it hard to believe Lynch will. There are just too many guys on the fringes with him. If admittance into the is based on merit, Lynch deserves a spot and a gold jacket. He has been the most prolific scorer as a running back since 2011 (51 rushing touchdowns) and ranks eighth all time in playoff rushing yards. Most important, Lynch put fear in the hearts of coaches and defenders around the NFL as the "heart and soul" of the . Although the number crunchers will point to his rushing totals ranking behind some of his contemporaries, there is no disputing his impact as a workhorse runner in today's NFL. Thus, I would expect to see Lynch eventually walk through the hallowed halls in Canton. should be in the because he had a great career. He was instrumental in leading Seattle to back- Ben Simmons Jersey to-back s, and he was one of the league's best running backs for a short amount of time during his nine seasons in the league. But I don't think he's a first-ballot guy. There are a lot of other great running backs who haven't gotten in -- for example, Fred Taylor. He finished with 2,500 rushing yards more Marial Shayok Jersey than Marshawn and dominated the position, making a great impact for a longer period of time. Taylor has to get in, along with a few others; then Beast Mode can follow. No. Lynch would be a strong candidate had he played in the 1970s, but this is a different day. Voters probably would question the fact that he didn't surpa s 10,000 yards rushing. He also was never the best back of his day, which was an honor that belonged to . Lynch certainly will be considered, because of his impact on a dominant team and the bone-rattling runs he produced throughout his career. However, he will be hurt more by playing in two small markets (Buffalo and Seattle) and his refusal to engage with most members of the media. My view of what makes a player a r, and the proce s by which potential inductees are judged, has changed over the years. In the last couple of years, I've found that tracking numbers is le s important than whether I thought I was seeing a r, per se. Terrell Davis' numbers aren't up there, but I sure thought Davis was a great player after seeing him destroy opponents in the postseason. Lynch is very similar in that regard, and he has other attributes that translate to him having a career ... as I detailed in my conversation on this subject with Maurice Jones-Drew (another solid power back in his own right) . When it comes to running backs, LaDainian Tomlinson is a sure bet. I would vote for Edgerrin James, too. As for Lynch, I would say he is borderline material. He's been a very good back, especially in the playoffs. Perhaps if he had not been in Buffalo early in his career, he would have better numbers. Of course, Paul Reed Jersey you could say that about a lot of players who did not play for playoff teams. I think I would vote for him, but it would depend on who he was up against that year.