Marshawn Lynch may have retired from playing professional football, but for the third consecutive NFL offseason he'll spend his time teaching youth overseas how to play the game.
"Beast Mode" is part of a 10-athlete contingent expected to head to Cairo, Egypt over the next week for the fourth annual American Football Without Barriers (AFWB) camp.
The group consists of Lynch, New York Jets offensive lineman Breno Giacomini (a former Seahawk), Cleveland Browns tight end Gary Barnidge, linebacker Barkevious Mingo, and defensive end Johnson Bademosi, Pittsburgh Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams, Miami Dolphins tight end Jordan Cameron, Houston Texans offensive lineman Oday Aboushi, former Carolina Panthers quarterback Colby Cameron, and free-agent fullback Erik Lorig.
Started by Giacomini and Barnidge back in 2011, AFWB aims to globalize American football and reach underprivileged youth at the same time. The camp visited China in 2013, Brazil in 2014, and Turkey this past year.
The expedition to Egypt marks the non-profit organization's first trek to Africa, where it will link up with the Egyptian Federation of American Football (EFAF), Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports, and Egyptian Ministry of Tourism to teach the sport to more than 450 Egyptian players and football enthusiasts. The NFL players have also designated two days to community outreach, including a visit to a children's cancer hospital.
Lynch's trip to Brazil after the Seahawks' win in Super Bowl XLVIII brought us this big hit on an unsuspecting camper and his journey a year later to Istanbul featured an honest interview on Turkish T.V.
"With the camp, I do this back at home myself, in Oakland, California, and when I got the word they were doing something here, it gave me a chance to spread my wings," Lynch said last year. "I hold a camp at home, like I said, with about 850 kids and it's been growing. This is an opportunity for me to come out and spread my brand as well. I'm here, like I said, to spread football across the world and at the same time help people in need."
To keep up with everything AFWB, visit afwbcamp.com, or give the foundation a follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.
Seahawks tackle Breno Giacomini and a former college teammate helped launch the AFWB organization that held its first international camp in China this month