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Richard Sherman Clears Air About Trade Rumors, Reaffirms Seattle Loyalty

Ted S. Warren
/
AP Photo
Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman (25) is all smiles as he and strong safety Kam Chancellor (31) talk with defensive coordinator Kris Richard left, during practice, Friday, June 9, 2017, in Renton.

Clear The Air

Thiel said it was about time the media and fans heard from Sherman. He held a press conference Wednesday after Seahawks minicamp.

"I think the Seahawks wanted Richard to address the local media. He said he wanted to clear the air.

"Because by the end of last season he wasn't speaking to anyone, which is very uncharacteristic. He was voted the previous year as the media good guy because he's very comfortable in front of crowds; he enjoys the banter.

"But, man, last year, he got upset. He was playing with a knee injury - not one that kept him out of a game or even out of practice but one that bothered him.

"The upshot was that he was so confrontational with the coaching staff. There were two episodes in a game Oct. 15 against Atlanta and then Dec. 16 against the Rams when he verbally and almost physically confronted coaches, complaining about things."

'Borderline Insubordination'

"To me, it looked like what Richard was engaging was borderline insubordination," Thiel continued. "He said Wednesday he may have been over the top in his criticisms.

"That was as close as Sherman has ever come to an apology. It wasn't quite an apology but he said that he'd talked to the people who were important, the coaches and the players, and whether he apologized or not, I don't know.

"But he was acknowledging a little bit of responsibility, which, for Richard, is kind of a big deal."

Sherman And Wilson - All Good?

In his press conference, Sherman also addressed his relationship with quarterback Russell Wilson. He referred to an ESPN story in May that reported there was some bad blood between the two players.

"The story said that Richard was still upset with the Super Bowl loss to New England in which Russell Wilson threw an interception at the goal line - a play similar to the one that he saw in the Rams game [last season]," Thiel said.

"They also said that he was upset at Wilson's lack of accountability and [the fact that he] had sort of a favorite son status.

"I'm thinking, 'Richard, you gotta get over that Super Bowl loss. The fans may want to dwell on it but you're a player and that can't be a part of it.'

"He claimed he wasn't dwelling on it and he said his relationship with Russell Wilson is fantastic.

"It may be, but the quarterback is a special figure on any NFL team. Tom Brady, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers - all these guys are treated differently than the rest of the team.

"I think the story exaggerated the drama between Russell and Sherman. I don't think that's a big deal because they don't play on the same side of the ball, so I think that was overblown.

"But I think Richard's accountability is an important thing to have for this team for this fall."

Wants To Stay In Seattle

Sherman also addressed the trade rumors that have swirled around him for the past several months. He said he didn't initiate any of the talks but he understood why the team would consider trading him.

"He was asked about where he fits now. Because the team really did consider trade offers for him because he was so disgruntled," Thiel said.

"I don't know that they were that serious but, by the same token, [coach] Pete Carroll and John Schneider, the general manager, would not have let it be known if they weren't a little rankled with Richard.

"Richard said he wants to retire in Seattle, he really enjoys his teammates, everything is wonderful.

"I'm a little skeptical about all of that right now because we have no fresh information. This [past week] was only a minicamp. They're going to be off for six weeks. Training camp starts in late July.

"And when the season opens in September, we're going to see whether Richard's words match his deeds."

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You can find Art Thiel's work at Sportspress Northwest and Crosscut.com.

Kirsten Kendrick hosts Morning Edition on KNKX and the sports interview series "Going Deep," talking with folks tied to sports in our region about what drives them — as professionals and people.
Art Thiel is a co-founder and writer for the rising sports website Sportspress Northwest. In 2003 Thiel wrote the definitive book about the Seattle Mariners, “Out of Left Field,” which became a regional bestseller. In 2009, along with Steve Rudman and KJR 950 afternoon host Mike Gastineau, Thiel authored “The Great Book of Seattle Sports Lists,” a cross between historylink.org and Mad Magazine that has become mandatory reading for any sports fan who has an indoor bathroom.