Luke Willson reveals stunning details on Marshawn Lynch's final play in Super Bowl XLIX loss to Tom Brady's Patriots

Super Bowl XLIX is, without a doubt, one of the most memorable events in the game's history. Featuring multiple big names playing for the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots and countless memorable moments, the game is best known for Malcolm Butler's goal-line interception of Russell Wilson.

The Seahawks' decision to have Wilson pass rather than run while down 24-28 is one of the most heavily analyzed plays in NFL history, and former tight end Luke Willson has revealed new details about what his team could have done instead. Speaking on The KJ Wright Show, he detailed the potential rushing play as follows:

"The next week, [offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell] comes in and goes, 'Hey if we get down to it,' - again, he didn’t do it, he didn’t just like, 'Oh, we always played like safe like things we knew.' He’s like, 'We have never gone to (the) goal line all year. We have the greatest goal-line matchup against these dudes. If we get down to the one-yard line, we’re going to goal-line personnel, they will have no idea what's going on 'cause we've never shown it all year, and we’re going fullback at zero.

"We’re putting Turbin at halfback and Marshawn at fullback. Russ, Max Unger is playing center, Russ will take the snap, get out of the way. Marshawn, you’re gonna run straight down Max Unger, and whichever way Max kinda shields, you go the other way.”

But when the Seahawks decided to pass, he was baffled:

"It was very strange to me."

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A look at Luke Willson's career, stats, and retirement

Born in Ontario, Canada, Luke Willson was initially drafted out of Rice by his home state's Argonauts in 2012, but did not sign with them so as not to compromise his college eligibility. He went off the board 158th overall with the Seattle Seahawks the following year.

As a rookie, he started seven games and caught 20 passes (including a touchdown) from 272 yards. He also won Super Bowl XLVIII, catching two passes for 17 yards.

By the end of his first tenure with the Seahawks, Willson had accumulated 1,129 receiving yards and 103 receptions, including 11 touchdowns. In addition to two more stints in Seattle, he also played for the Detroit Lions, Oakland Raiders, and Baltimore Ravens before retiring in 2021.

In the same interview with KJ Wright, he discussed the circumstances that led to his retirement:

"I had a bit of a health scare which played into it... really a freak ordeal, had some heart issues, was in the ER. But it did put a different perspective in my head.

"I get the call from Seattle and they're like, 'Hey, here's the deal. You gotta come in today, sign the papers, do a physical, come to practice, (play) this preseason game. We're gonna cut you, then sign you on the COVID practice squad. Expect to be active (in) Week 1'"

But upon entering camp, he decided he was done playing football:

"I stroll into that practice, and this is the part I never told anyone: that was the worst practice I've ever seen."