OAKLAND – The Raiders scored their fifth touchdown against the New York Jets early in the fourth quarter. At that point, the rout was on.
An Oakland Coliseum DJ filled the television commercial break with a local favorite.
"Oakland," by Vell featuring DJ Mustard, blared through the Oakland Coliseum sound system. The chorus is catchy.
"I'm really from Oakland doe, ‘cause I'm really, yeah, I'm like really, really, really from Oakland doe."
That sequence should be familiar if you followed Marshawn's journey out of retirement, free from Seattle's clutches and into a Raiders uniform. He used those lyrics to tweet his official move to the Raiders back on April 26.
That also Marshawn's jam.
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Right there on the sidelines, in the middle Sunday's 45-20 victory, it inspired a dance party of one.
Dreadlocks, arms and feet swayed with the beat. Marshawn wasn't inviting cameras. He was completely lost in the moment. Marshawn was comfortable. Marshawn was home. Then cameras found him, and this dance party turned 54,729 strong.
MARSHAWN LYNCH IS HERE FOR THE TOWN pic.twitter.com/DeHm7vvbEw— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) September 17, 2017
His teammates were inspired, but nobody joined in. This was his moment with his city, on his homecoming day.
"It was great. He is Oakland," linebacker Bruce Irvin, who played with Lynch as a Seahawk. "I've never seen him act like that in Seattle. It was great for him to be out there and be loose and have the success he had. It was great moment to see. I hope we can continue to have great moments like that."
Lynch didn't miss football in retirement. He returned when the Raiders were approved to bolt for Las Vegas, to give local kids a chance to cheer one of their heroes representing the team they love.
This was time for so many to repay the kindness and love he shows the community. They cheered his every move, never louder than his first trip into the end zone. It came early in the second quarter, as he busted through the middle across the goal line.
A roar engulfed Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in honor of a favorite son done good. Lynch simply got up, and took his football to the sideline. He wasn't letting that one go.
"I'm going to give it to my momma," he said after the game.
Lynch didn't say much about his experience. The love from the crowd felt good. He never got too emotional. He's excited about this offense's playmakers.
Even if he remained outwardly cool, the fans were hyped having the Raiders dominate and Oakland's most popular person at center stage.
"Did you see the crowd? The momentum was great," edge rusher Khalil Mack said. "That's a moment you want to experience as a football fan, to see a guy from your town dancing like that on the sideline. It was cool for the fans and cool for us too, seeing him enjoy himself and this win."
