By Tim Booth
The Associated Press
RENTON — Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch has been ruled out of the NFC wild-card game against Minnesota.
The Seahawks released a statement late Friday saying Lynch did not make the trip for the Sunday game.
The statement from the team capped a day where Lynch’s status changed three times. Coach Pete Carroll indicated on KIRO-FM on Friday morning that Lynch would play, then after practice in the afternoon said that Lynch was questionable and the team needed to evaluate him again before deciding if he would play against the Vikings.
“I have not said yet that he’s playing. I know that’s been out there. We don’t know for sure until we finish the week. He’s looked really good,” Carroll said after the final practice of the week and before the team departed for Minnesota.
Lynch was listed as a full participant in practice all three days this week after not playing since Week 10 against Arizona. Lynch had abdominal surgery Nov. 25 and rejoined the team this week after spending most of his recovery in the Bay Area working out with personal trainers.
“We’ve got to go to tomorrow and make sure he’s OK after today,” Carroll said. “We’ll do that same old thing and see how he’s taken to the week’s work and all of that. He looked good during the week and did some really good stuff. We’ll just use all of the time that we have available.”
With Lynch out the Seahawks are likely to rely on the combo of Christine Michael and Bryce Brown, who shared the rushing load the final three weeks of the regular season. Michael is coming off a career-high 102 yards rushing in the regular season finale against Arizona.
Lynch is the second player Seattle has ruled out after previously announcing it would be without tight end Luke Willson after he had a setback in his recovery from a concussion suffered in the Week 16 loss to St. Louis. Willson was a limited participant in practice Wednesday before sitting out the past two days.
“He just didn’t quite get through it,” Carroll said. “He did some of the work and practiced with us and just didn’t quite recover. We’re going to take care of him.”
Everyone else for Seattle was listed as probable including starting strong safety Kam Chancellor, guard J.R. Sweezy and left tackle Russell Okung after all three missed the regular-season finale.
