Tag: Richard Sherman

On this day: Seahawks defeat 49ers in NFC Championship

On this day: Seahawks defeat 49ers in NFC Championship

We at Seahawks Wire would not be doing our jobs properly if we did not acknowledge one of the holy days in Seahawks history: on this day, Seattle defeated the San Francisco 49ers 23-17 in the 2013 NFC Championship!

It was the culmination of the heated and bitter rivalry, not just between the Hawks and Niners, but between head coaches Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh. Both teams had been made in mirror images of one another. Suffocating defense. Brutal rushing attacks. Dynamic dual threat quarterbacks. Eccentric leadership at the top.

There was no path to the Super Bowl for the Seahawks that did not include the 49ers. Everyone felt this to be the case. When these teams were slated to face off against one another, it was the expectation. A true clash of the titans for the right to play for a Lombardi.

Given the shellacking Seattle put on the Denver Broncos two weeks later in Super Bowl XLVIII, this NFC Championship was the true final showdown of the season. The biggest moments of this game will live forever in Seahawks lore. Marshawn Lynch’s touchdown to tie the game. Jermaine Kearse’s go-head touchdown on 4th down. And of course, Richard Sherman’s game-sealing tipped pass to eventual Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith.

The Seahawks claimed their second conference championship in franchise history, then would follow it up with their first Lombardi trophy. But there would be no ring without this game, and because of this, we must forever pay tribute to one of the greatest moments in Seattle sports to date.

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Broncos fans are reading into viral clip of Sean Payton’s press conference

Broncos fans are reading into Sean Payton’s “misery” comments on the 2023 season, and even Richard Sherman has chimed in.

While wrapping up his end-of-season press conference on Wednesday, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton indicated that the team is at a much better place now than it was a year ago.

“Obviously, we’re still not there yet, and yet we’re a lot closer than we were at this time a year ago. That was misery, sorrow, drudgery — give me some other adjectives there — just, gah. That was brutal. Let’s say that.”

In 2023, the Broncos were all but officially eliminated from playoff contention with a 26-23 home loss to the 4-10 New England Patriots on Christmas Eve. Denver was officially eliminated the following week.

Some Broncos fans on Twitter/X have inferred that Payton was referring to the Russell Wilson experience that season.

“Sean Payton HATED Russell Wilson,” @MeinerzMuse captioned a post sharing Payton’s comment.

“That’s what Russ does to a team,” added @h00737062.

The clip has been dubbed an “instant classic” and “one of the funniest Broncos videos of all time,” but not everyone agrees that it was a direct reference to Wilson.

“Or maybe he’s just talking about how they barley missed the playoffs,” @JMurrayWrld chimed in.

Added @VisorPayton: “I think he’s implying to how the season ended. Which was Russ mainly. But ya lol.”

One fan tagged Richard Sherman in the post and apologized to him. Sherman has been outspoke in his criticism of his former teammate. Sherman appreciated the apology.

Fans have compared Payton’s comments Wednesday to another viral Broncos press conference moment when ex-coach Vic Fangio wished Teddy Bridgewater a happy birthday but overlooked Drew Lock’s birthday on the same day.

Regardless of whether Payton’s remark was a general comment on the end to the 2023 season or a reference to his old QB, it’s clear that the Broncos are better off now with Bo Nix than they were after last season.

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Richard Sherman says Marshon Lattimore will get under Mike Evans’ skin

Sherman thinks this rivalry will impact Sunday’s game.

It’s only fitting that the Washington Commanders play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an NFL wild-card matchup on Sunday Night Football. While the game was scheduled for Sunday night because of Washington rookie Jayden Daniels, the most intriguing matchup doesn’t involve either quarterback — Daniels or Baker Mayfield.

Instead, everyone is talking about the matchup of Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans against Washington cornerback Marshon Lattimore.

Lattimore has missed six of eight games since the Commanders acquired him at November’s NFL trade deadline. After sitting the last two games, there was no way Lattimore would miss this game.

Lattimore and Evans have a history — an ugly but entertaining one. Lattimore and Evans were NFC South rivals for years when the former played for the New Orleans Saints.  Both players won their fair share of battles against one another.

However, their battles were personal. Evans has drawn penalties, ejections, and fines and served two separate one-game suspensions due to altercations with Lattimore, often after the whistle.

Former NFL cornerback Richard Sherman wasn’t just one of the best defensive backs in the league when he played; he was also a trash talker. Now one of the NFL’s best analysts for Amazon Prime, Sherman believes this rivalry will continue on Sunday.

“Oh, it’s going to make an impact; I am sure they’re going to have Lattimore follow him because Mike is a huge target and a huge part of their offense,” Sherman said on “Up & Adams.”

“Yeah, they got real history. In New Orleans, it was even bigger because the teams understood it; the teams had conflict, so it went further than just Mike and Lattimore. It went through the whole team. But I think the Commanders will back him up even though he’s only been there for a little while. He’s going to continue to be him. He’s going to continue to try to get under Mike’s skin, and Mike’s going to continue to feel a way about him. So, I can’t wait to watch it, that’s one of my favorite matchups.”

So, who gets the best of this matchup?

“I don’t know,” Sherman said. “Marshon’s had a lot of good games against Mike. But Mike’s in a zone right now, and Baker (Mayfield) is gonna feed him, and I’m sure Baker knows the history, and Baker is petty in that way, and I like that about him. So I think Mike will have more opportunities to go after him.”

You can bet Mayfield will go after Lattimore. He’s played only two games in almost three months and is coming off a hamstring injury. The Eagles tested Lattimore in Week 16, and he aggravated the hamstring after an up-and-down battle with A.J. Brown.

You can bet both head coaches have spoken with Lattimore and Evans about maintaining their composure. One penalty could make a huge difference, and the stakes are much higher this time around, as the pair have never met in the playoffs.

 

Ryan Fitzpatrick joins Richard Sherman in ice bath at Soldier Field

Richard Sherman had unexpected company in an ice bath

If you thought the Seahawks’ win over the Bears on Thursday was chilly, you haven’t seen the cold Richard Sherman and Ryan Fitzpatrick endured.

The Amazon Prime panelists took a bath after the game at Soldier Field. Sherman was the only one supposed to go into the ice bath but Fitzpatrick decided to join the former All-Pro DB.

Brrrrrr.

Richard Sherman has harsh words for NFL officiating over PI calls against Commanders

Richard Sherman is fed up with NFL officiating’s bias toward offensive players.

The Washington Commanders shocked the NFL world, snapping the Philadelphia Eagles’ 10-game winning streak with a 36-33 win on Sunday. One day later, Eagles’ fans complained that NFL officiating cost them the game.

In Sunday’s game between the two NFC East rivals, the Commanders and Eagles were heavily penalized, with 93 and 91 yards, respectively. Plenty of questionable calls went against both teams.

However, the defensive pass interference penalties against Washington cornerback Marshon Lattimore appeared the most questionable. Lattimore was flagged three times for pass interference, one of which gave the Eagles 38 yards. Two plays later, officials flagged Lattimore again, this time for 23 yards. The Eagles eventually kicked a field goal but were aided by a ridiculous 61 yards in penalties.

Former All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman, now an analyst for Amazon Prime, was having none of it, criticizing NFL officiating for the pass-interference calls on Lattimore.

“The whole world is biased for offensive players, so somebody gotta be based the other way,” Sherman said on the “Richard Sherman Podcast.” “Those PI calls on Lattimore were absolute horses–t. Absolute horses–t. I’m so tired of this game getting so soft and ridiculous and people having the audacity to complain about it. Like, how are those PIs? If the receiver is physical, then you have to let the DB at least defend himself. Don’t be praising these receivers for being, ‘Ohhh, man; he’s so physical. He’s so strong.’ And you see him pushing the corner in the neck and pushing him off and grabbing him by the collar. And then, when the corner gets his hands off of him, you’re like, ‘Oh my God, you can’t grab him.'”

More from Sherman:

“What about him grabbing me by the neck while running his route? Because everything’s acceptable for a receiver to do, but there’s nothing acceptable for a corner to do. Let the boys play. I don’t know what you want him to do. You want him to stay close to him while he’s getting pushed and not grab him back? Have you ever been punched in the face and then just kept getting punched in the face, and then they’re like, ‘Hey, don’t worry, if he punch you in the face one more time, we’ll say something.’ They’re not.”

He’s 100% correct. The NFL is geared toward favoring the offense. Everyone wants more scoring. Over the years, the rules have changed to favor the receiver, but nothing was ever changed for the defensive back. The league is always taking from the defense and giving to the offense. Have you seen some of the roughing calls?

Of course, nothing is more costly than defensive pass interference. It’s a spot foul. The officials were so bad that Philadelphia quarterback Kenny Pickett could’ve continued to underthrow A.J. Brown. If Brown and Lattimore had even touched it, they would’ve thrown the flag against Lattimore.

Lattimore and Brown were all over each other. It was good, old-fashioned football between two players among the best at their respective positions. If the NFL continues to insist that defensive pass interference is a spot foul, it must be reviewable moving forward. Of course, that would mean the NFL admitting its mistakes, and we know they hate doing that.

Former 49ers team captain thinks OL needs major overhaul

Richard Sherman didn’t mince words on the 49ers’ OL.

It’s not surprising that former San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman was unafraid to offer his blunt analysis of his former team’s problems.

In an episode of the Richard Sherman Podcast following the 49ers’ 29-17 defeat to the Miami Dolphins, Sherman dished out a scathing analysis of an offensive line that allowed three sacks and left quarterback Brock Purdy under pressure most of Sunday’s game.

“That offensive line needs to be the number one, number two and number three priority this offseason,” Sherman said. “If you’re gonna pay this quarterback all the money you’re gonna have to pay him, you want to keep him upright so he can be the playmaker that he has been. This year he’s been under a lot more duress, he’s been using his legs more, he’s had to leave the pocket more often than not – it hasn’t been great, and without Trent (Williams) it’s looked even worse.

“You need a right tackle. No ifs, ands or buts, no discussion, no nothing – a right tackle. You need to figure out a center maybe in the second round. There’s plenty of them in the Big 10 somewhere to find him. Maybe one in the SEC. Then maybe find a guard in free agency. It looks like you have one in Puni. Put a competition out there at left guard. And I know you can’t just draft them one, two, three, four, five, six – but that’s what I would do. We’re gonna hit on one of ’em.”

Typically the 49ers haven’t prioritized their offensive line, opting instead to invest in playmakers while piecing together an offensive front. It wouldn’t be a surprise if we saw a shift in that philosophy given some of the struggles from that group in 2024.

They likely won’t follow Sherman’s advice and draft six OL, but they should snag a few to try and find a starter while also improving some of their overall depth. If they continue trying to shortcut an offensive line, they may continue having the same issues with their offense getting shut down by even mediocre defensive lines.

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Former SB champ uses national stage to demand Joe Burrow as MVP

One former NFL great says Joe Burrow is the current MVP.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow isn’t likely to win the MVP award due to how it can emphasize the record of each candidate’s team.

But that won’t stop many from pounding the table for Burrow to be a rare exception.

Take, for example, former player and Super Bowl champion Richard Sherman, who just used his primetime audience on a national stage this week to campaign for Burrow.

“Statistically, Joe Burrow should be the MVP,” Sherman said. “His team has just let him down. He’s got 30 touchdowns, five interceptions, you can say what you want. You can boo what you want. The numbers are the numbers…”

Sherman isn’t alone in this when it comes to Burrow, but it’s unlikely to sway voters.

Perhaps if the Bengals win out and miss the playoffs, Burrow might stand a chance. But his team is losing players to injury left and right before Week 14, making the task all the more difficult.

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Geno Smith explains Connor Williams’ surprising retirement

Geno Smith explains Connor Williams’ surprising retirement

Last week, the Seattle Seahawks and their fans were given quite a Friday afternoon shock. Shortly after announcing center Connor Williams was ruled out for the Week 11 game against the San Francisco 49ers, head coach Mike Macdonald broke the news that Williams decided to officially retire.

Williams was signed in the offseason and had started all nine games up to that point. He was also playing well, but his play dropped off to a precipitous degree in Weeks 8 and 9 with uncharacteristic high snaps past quarterback Geno Smith.

Macdonald did not elaborate as to why Williams decided to hang up his cleats and call it a career, but we may have some new insight this week. Smith was recently on the Richard Sherman Podcast, and Sherm brought it up as a situation that caught him by surprise. Smith gave a thoughtful response to Sherm about his former teammate.

Given the glamor and glory associated with professional sports, especially the National Football League, it can be easy to forget the players we see on television aren’t demi-gods. Or comic book superheroes. Or video game characters. They are real people, with real issues, concerns, and interests. They are well compensated, but all the money in the world can’t always buy peace of mind or fix mental health concerns.

Whatever the situation may be for Connor Williams, we hope he is able to find said peace and weather whatever storm he is facing in his own life. Hopefully, the decision to walk away from football was the right one.

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Richard Sherman says the Seahawks should extend Geno Smith, and he’s right!

Richard Sherman says the Seahawks should extend Geno Smith, and he’s right!

The Seattle Seahawks have a quality quarterback in Geno Smith, and for some reason the fan base seems divided on him. There are those who recognize he has been consistently good since he became the starter. On the flip side, there are those who want to see the team find an upgrade (regardless of whether there is one available) despite the fact Smith has the most game-winning drives in the NFL since he became a starter.

This debate is only going to intensify in a few short months when the impending offseason eventually arrives. Smith is currently in the second year of a three-year deal he signed prior to the 2023 season. His contract was restructured last February, and as a result he has no more guaranteed money left for his final year. Smith has already approached the team for an extension, and will surely do so again at some point this offseason.

Among those who are unsure of what the team should do, there is one who most assuredly is not: former Seahawks legend Richard Sherman.

Sherman recently had Smith on his podcast, and Sherm made his position crystal clear as to what the Seahawks should do with their quarterback. Five words: pay the man his money!

Sherm brings up a great point about the 2025 NFL draft and Seattle’s possible positioning. The Seahawks are simply winning far too many games, even at this point, to be one of the teams near the top of the draft. Smith’s strong play has ensured that, and will continue to do so for the rest of the 2024 campaign. Additionally, next year’s quarterback draft class does not appear to be as robust as the one we saw this past spring.

If the Seahawks aren’t able to get a quarterback in the draft they absolutely love, then the other options are free agency or trade. Well, they already tried the “let’s trade for a quarterback” route with Sam Howell last year. As familiar with the system as Smith is, if Howell had blown coaches minds in training camp/the preseason I have to believe he would have been starting by now. As for free agency, teams typically don’t let Pro Bowl caliber quarterbacks test the market.

Seattle is obviously going to have to be focused on finding a quarterback for the future given the fact Smith is 34 years old. It is basic NFL age math. But they also need a quarterback for the right now as well. A quarterback who shows up in the biggest moments, has great arm talent, and is a clear leader.

An extension does not mean a team is married to a player forever. For a player like Smith, it just ensures there is stability and continuity at the most important position in all of sports. It would also allow them to focus continuing to rebuild their offensive line in the draft.

At this point, I am in full agreement with Richard Sherman.

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Richard Sherman blasts coach Jerod Mayo for calling Patriots ‘soft’

Richard Sherman thinks Jerod Mayo’s comment “lacks personal accountability”

New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo made waves after calling his team “soft,” following their Week 7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

That has prompted multiple NFL personalities to weigh in on the comments.

Mayo has since clarified his remarks, but that has not stopped those around the league from reacting. Even former Patriots coach Bill Belichick got in on the debate, and he openly disagreed with the current Patriots coach.

NFL analyst Richard Sherman made his case on the set of Thursday Night Football. The legendary defensive back also disagreed with Mayo’s assessment and stated the coach needed to establish himself before publicly criticizing the players.

“It’s frustrating to hear that because, if it’s Bill Belichick, if it’s an acclaimed head coach—and not that Jerod Mayo didn’t have an accomplished career, but you are a rookie head coach,” said Sherman. “You don’t get to say nothing at this point until you’ve earned the right to say things.

“You earned the right by winning, by scheming and showing your scheme is effective. We don’t even know if your identity or culture is effective. …Saying the players are soft lacks personal accountability. You have a part in this.”

Mayo’s comments likely caused a bigger distraction than expected, and he took ownership of it at Wednesday’s press conference. It will be interesting to see how the Patriots come out against the New York Jets on Sunday as they look to turn the page.

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