The always-animated Richard Sherman wasn’t kidding when he suggested he had something interesting in store for his press conference Tuesday at the Seattle Seahawks’ headquarters.

Sherman took to the podium alongside a cardboard cutout of teammate Doug Baldwin to protest the NFL’s hefty fine against teammate Marshawn Lynch for not talking to media. Real-life Baldwin hid behind the cutout, and instead of talking about Seattle’s upcoming Thanksgiving night game against the rival 49ers, Sherman and Baldwin performed a skit of sorts for the local press.

The two of them took the NFL to task for its “hypocritical” policies, they said, on athletes talking to media and on player safety.

For much of the 2.5-minute exchange, the Seahawks stars jokingly pushed products from the league’s sponsors and advertisers, including Campbell’s Chunky Soup, which Sherman endorsed during the offseason.

“It’s fun to use your time in the NFL to speak about something you care about, right? Right?,” Sherman asked Baldwin during the press conference. “Because then you don’t get fined $100,000. You don’t get fined at all for this.

“This is how they want us to talk, right? This is what they want us to do: They want us to advertise, right Doug?”

An NFL spokesman told seattlepi.com the league will have no comment on the exchange.

A raw video of the “skit” is above. A full transcript is below.

[ Related: Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks rally against media for teammate Marshawn Lynch ]

After the Seahawks’ victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at CenturyLink Field, in apparent solidarity with Lynch, Sherman finished his locker-room interview with media by giving curt answers and cutting the interview short.

“That’s what happens when Marshawn gets fined,” Sherman said Sunday as he turned away from the cameras. “You think this was bad? Wait ’til my press conference next week.”

Sherman sure delivered Tuesday during his regularly scheduled media session at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton. You can read more here about the lead-up to his exchange with Baldwin.

Should Marshawn Lynch and other NFL players be required to talk to media? Absolutely. The press is how we follow our teams objectively.

Yeah. It's part of the job. Just get it done with and move on.

Not sure. The press is important, but times are changing.

No. Players shouldn't be forced to do what they don't want to do.

Heck no! The press is just full of bloodsucking leeches. View Results

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TRANSCRIPT:

(Removed: A few seconds of banter before the “skit” got under way.)

Sherman: “You know, the other day, Marshawn Lynch got fined $100,000. Did you know that? $100,000. And it’s like, they wouldn’t have even paid him $100,000 if he had talked, if he had spoken. Doug, do you think they would have paid him $100,000?”

Baldwin: “No, they sure wouldn’t have!”

Sherman: “Jeez, Louise. But you know who does pay me a lot of money? Beats by Dre, the wonderful headphones that I wear.”

Baldwin: “I like those headphones.”

Sherman: “But the league doesn’t let me say anything about them. Doug, why is that?”

Baldwin: “I don’t know. Sounds kind of hypocritical to me.”

Sherman: “Yeah, sounds a little bit hypocritical! It seems like we’re in a league where they say: ‘Players, you know, you don’t endorse any alcohol. Please don’t endorse alcohol; no DUIs please.’ But yet, a beer sponsor is their biggest sponsor! Doug, how do you feel about that?”

Baldwin: “Like I said: Sounds very hypocritical.”

Sherman: “Yeah, it’s interesting. It’s very, very interesting. It’s crazy. But, you know, in this offseason, you have a good time. You get to wear Neff shades, you get to wear Neff beanies, you get to eat some Campbell’s Soup. My girl was sick this week; she got some Campbell’s Soup in her and, you know, that’s always good. So kids, when you get sick, be sure to get your Campbell’s Soup in you. It’s always a great deal, very healthy, very good for you. Chicken noodle soup around this time — it’s flu season.”

Baldwin: “Speaking of health, how do you feel about the NFL making me play two games in five days?”

Sherman: “Oh my god! Jeez! I almost didn’t realize that, because they’ve been talking about player safety so much. And it’s like, two games in five days doesn’t seem like you care about player safety. It’s a little bit much for me.

“But Doug, you look pretty healthy. You look like you’ve been having a good time. You look like you’ve been eating good. What kind of sandwiches have you been having?”

Baldwin: “You know, I like to eat fresh, so I eat my Subway. And I also like to wash my Subway down with a bottle of Martinelli’s.”

Sherman: “Oh my god, Martinelli’s? Sounds like a great beverage!

“It’s fun. It’s fun to use your time in the NFL to speak about something you care about, right? Right? Because then you don’t get fined $100,000. You don’t get fined at all for this. This is how they want us to talk, right? This is what they want us to do: They want us to advertise, right Doug?”

Baldwin: “Sounds about right to me!”

Sherman: “Alright! Gotta make some money. Gotta not get fined. Anybody got any questions?”

Baldwin: “Nope, I don’t think so!”

Sherman: “Alright!”

Baldwin (to media): “Have a good day.”

Sherman (to media): “Thank you.”

Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle Seahawks news. Contact sports editor Nick Eaton at 206-448-8125, nickeaton@seattlepi.com or @njeaton.