Marshawn Lynch gives coach Mike Macdonald a shoulder massage on the Seahawks sideline

Marshawn Lynch does whatever Marshawn Lynch wants to do — even if that means distracting an NFL head coach in the middle of his first game.

The former NFL running back was on the sideline for the Seattle Seahawks’ season opener against the Denver Broncos. Nearing the end of the first quarter, with the score tied at 3, Lynch must have sensed that Seahawks’ coach Mike Macdonald was looking a little tense. So Lynch walked up behind him and treated him to a relaxing shoulder massage while he, apparently, gave the coach some words of encouragement.

Of course, Macdonald has every reason to be a little nervous. He has big shoes to fill.

Seattle hired Macdonald to replace Super Bowl XLVIII champion Pete Carroll in January — making Macdonald the youngest active head coach in the NFL and the youngest in Seahawks’ history.

The 37-year-old was the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator over the past two seasons. Macdonald joined the Ravens as a coaching intern in 2014 and, other than a one-year stint as the University of Michigan’s defensive coordinator in 2021, he had been with Baltimore ever since.

Lynch, on the other hand, has long been right at home in Seattle. The former All-Pro running back spent seven seasons with the Seahawks (2010-2015, 2019). And those seasons included the best ones in team history. Seattle went to back-to-back Super Bowls in 2013 and 2014, one of which turned out to be the franchise’s only championship.

“Beast Mode” also went to five Pro Bowls and twice led the league in rushing touchdowns.

Word on the street is that he also gives tremendous shoulder massages.