Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesMarshawn Lynch has made a stellar career out of always being in a rush on the field—so it can't be that much of a surprise that he prefers to run in the other direction whenever it's time to sit still in front of the media.
E! News, however, was able to catch up with the five-time Pro Bowl selection in Arizona yesterday, and the Seattle Seahawks' star running back exclusively filled us in on what has been, well, running through his mind ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl XLIX.
For starters, it's all about the repeat win, obviously!
But Lynch also shed his super-human-athlete skin and let us take a peek at the big heart beating underneath, sharing his thoughts on his No. 1 hero, his taste in women, his favorite part about Seattle and, condering there are Puppy and Kitten Bowls to look forward to as well this weekend, whether the BEASTMODE athletic wear founder considers himself a dog guy or a cat guy.
The 28-year-old tells E! News that he doesn't have a celebrity crush, per se, because he's an equal-opportunity admirer when it comes to attractive ladies.
"I just like beautiful women," he said, taking a timeout to speak to us at downtown Scottsdale's Kaleidoscope Juice, which is hosting a Spiritual Gangster x BEASTMODE Pop-Up store for the weekend. "They don't have to be a celebrity, though...I mean if they're beautiful, they're beautiful."
In particular, Lynch added, he "probably" likes "some beautiful brown skin...maybe some curly hair, a nice smile—and one hell of a personality. You are going to have to be able to handle all that I come with."
Of course, there's already an irreplaceable woman in his life, his mother, Delisa. Asked if he has a hero, someone he particularly looks up to, he told us unequivocally: "My mom."
As for the woman who will be front and center on Sunday, Super Bowl XLIX halftime show headliner Katy Perry, Lynch doesn't exactly have her music on repeat, but she's got his stamp of approval.
"She's a little cutie," he observed after we reminded him that Perry's a big pop star.
Alas, it'll never work out, considering Katy's affinity for kitties.
"I got dogs," Lynch told us when we inquired about which kind of pet he prefers. "I'm a dog guy."
Meanwhile, if you're in Seattle and jonesing for a Marshawn Lynch citing, we may have a recommendation for you after the Super Bowl crowd has cleared out of town.
Asked his favorite thing about Seattle, the Oakland, Calif.,-born, UC Berkeley-educated running back had a simple answer.
"What's my favorite thing about Seattle? It's Ho Ho's Restaurant," Lynch replied.
And that wasn't him making fun of us—that's a Chinese restaurant specializing in seafood.
"No, I'm serious," he smiled.
Sounds like a great place to celebrate after a rather important football game.
Tune into E! News tonight at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. for highlights of our exclusive on-camera interview with Marshawn Lynch!