The NFL’s hectic media day took place in Arizona on Tuesday as part of the elongated preamble that leads up to Super Bowl 49. Seattle Seahawks star running back Marshawn Lynch was in attendance, yet he was typically non-compliant when it came to fielding questions from the assembled media.

Lynch has been the reluctant subject of bizarre interviews all season long. While players are contractually obligated to speak with reporters before and after games, Lynch has made no secret of his distaste for the process. Having been fined several times for various forms of petty misconduct during his career, Lynch assured reporters at media day that he was only there to avoid further financial penalties.

“I’m just here so I won’t get fined,” Lynch repeatedly responded as persistent reporters peppered him with curiosities. After answering 29 questions with the exact same remark, Lynch bolted from the podium.

Rather than swatting their questions away with generic answers, Lynch seems to take special pride in subtly taunting reporters. His attitude appears largely disdainful, lethargic and uninterested toward the media attention he receives. Recently, Lynch has chided reporters in disbelief for even attempting to communicate with him.

While some members of the media take his defiance in stride, many harbor professional frustration towards Lynch. Marcus Hayes of The Daily News seems indignant that the running back would “make a mockery” of media day. Other reporters take to Twitter to bash Lynch for his conduct, insisting that he is just as responsible for answering questions as he is playing the actual game of football.

Things got frustrating for reporters on Wednesday, as they once again attempted to question Marshawn Lynch. With this now being a full blown story, reporters shouted and jeered at Lynch, demanding to know why he wouldn’t talk. The running back stoically responded “You know why I’m here.” until his five minutes of availability ended.

Many sympathetic fans and a handful of alternative media outlets suggest that Marshawn Lynch might have a social anxiety disorder. They argue that this affliction should exempt him from having to deal with the media.

However, the Oakland native might be more shrewd than his legions of observers give him credit for.  Due to the unusual and comical nature of his dealings with the press, Marshawn Lynch has become a national talking point. Ironically, his comments (or lack thereof) draw hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube and have spurred countless reactions within the press. By refusing to be part of their narrative, Marshawn Lynch has generated a separate nebula of speculation and controversy that has frenzied the media in its own right.

Opportunistically, Lynch has parlayed his press conference schtick into endorsement deals. In the last three days, he has released two different commercials with corporate partners that parody his defiant manner. One is for a well known rainbow array of confectionary treats, and the other is for an insurance company. Clearly an attempt to capitalize on his tendency to go “viral,” it appears Lynch has no trouble answering questions when he feels motivated to do so.

Perhaps the running back affectionately known as “Beast Mode” knows exactly how to conduct himself on and off the field. Revered for his ruthless tenacity and inability to be stopped on the gridiron, Marshawn Lynch enforces his will on the NFL . His deceptive tactics when handling the media suggest that Lynch has no intention of stopping play after the final whistle blows.