Updates on Marshawn Lynch don’t come often and when they do, they rarely come from him.

In this case, the source is the next best thing to the man himself.

Lynch’s first cousin, who is also Bay Area rapper Mistah F.A.B., appeared Friday on 95.7 The Game and said Marshawn and head coach Jon Gruden are off to a great start together.

“He loves Gruden. We talked about that earlier this week. He loves Gruden. He loves what Gruden has told him.”

”He told [Marshawn], ‘Man, I want to get you more involved in the offense.’”

”That has [Marshawn] getting into some of the best condition I’ve seen him in in a long time. He came in, he gave me a hug the other day after shopping. I was like, ‘Damn, cuz. What you on steroids?’”

NFL Network’s Mike Silver, who is relatively close with both Gruden and Lynch, said weeks ago that the two may surprisingly be a perfect partnership.

Lynch was reportedly slow to get into shape last year (missing a year of football may have contributed to that), but he also wasn’t known to be the hardest worker in practice.

It sounds possible that neither will be a problem this year, as evidenced by comments made by Lynch’s cousin – but also by the Raiders willingness to essentially guarantee Lynch $4.5 million for next season.

Whatever it was that Gruden and Lynch have discussed, it seems to have them both fired up.

twitter: @raidersbeat