Just one day after Richard Sherman’s boastful interview, the Seattle Seahawks cornerback apologized for his brash remarks on Monday.
After an interception that gave the Seahawks a 23-17 NFC Championship win over the San Francisco 49ers, Sherman received a personal foul for a choking motion directed at 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree. When asked about the incident in a post-game interview with Fox’s Erin Andrews, Sherman went on to insult Crabtree calling him “mediocre.” Within hours, the energetic interview went viral and received much criticism from NFL fans across the nation.
In a text to ESPN ’s Ed Werder on Monday, Sherman said he was sorry for his actions. “I apologize for attacking an individual and taking the attention away from the fantastic game by my teammates,” Sherman wrote. “That was not my intent.”
He also spoke of the event in a column written for MMQB. “To those who would call me a thug or worse because I show passion on a football field – don’t judge a person’s character by what they do between the lines. Judge a man by what he does off the field, what he does for his community, what he does for his family.”
Sherman’s former coach at Stanford University, David Shaw defended the athlete in an interview with San Jose Mercury News. He said of Sherman, “He’s the farthest thing from a thug you can imagine. Thugs don’t volunteer to help out at Special Olympics when they’re in high school. But the flip side is a guy who’s ultracompetitive.” Shaw went on to say how the environment and the intensity of the game may have had an effect on Sherman’s behavior.
Despite Sherman’s apology, Crabtree has yet to comment on the situation.
image: Wikimedia Commons
