Marshawn Lynch has 'fun, pretty substantial role' in HBO's 'Westworld' – ESPN, Espn.com

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• Paul Gutierrez ESPN Staff Writer
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  • Covered Oakland Raiders for CSNBayArea.com and Sacramento Bee for eight years
  • Member of Pro Football Writers Association
  • Previously worked at Los Angeles Times, Las Vegas Review-Journal and Sports Illustrated

  Marshawn Lynch

  is all about those androids, boss.

  Yes, that was Lynch flashing in HBO’s trailer for Season 3 of the sci -fi series “Westworld,” which premiered Thursday. In the trailer, the

  Seahawks running back walks behind actor Aaron Paul in a particularly dramatic scene about 90 seconds into the clip, sporting a T-shirt with the word “BORED” illuminated on it, along with the words “AMUSED,” “ANGRY,” “SAD” and “EXCITED. ”

  But is Beast Mode a good guy or a villain? Does he have a speaking role (might he risk being fined if he doesn’t talk?) Or is he a silent enforcer?

  HBO execs obviously couldn’t reveal too much about Lynch’s role, lest the plot also be exposed, but a spokesperson for the network said Lynch is expected to have a “fun and pretty substantial role” as he veers from his football persona.

  Still, the guy who said he wants to run through, ahem, an opponent’s face “over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over “again, like some, well, cyborg, should explode on the small screen.

  Like he did this past season when he scored three touchdowns in two playoff games for Seattle after signing in week . Before then, Lynch had last played in an NFL game for the Raiders in London on Oct. 15, , when he suffered a season-ending groin injury. The Raiders did contemplate bringing Lynch back late last season with rookie Josh Jacobs banged up with a fractured shoulder, a source said, but ultimately decided to roll with fourth-year vets DeAndré Washington and Jalen Richard and the Raiders signed Rod Smith on Dec. 14.

  Lynch’s participation in “Westworld” was reported last summer, and he was actually in a clip that ran in May.

  The season premiere is on March .

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