Former Seattle Seahawks, now San Franciso 49ers cornerback, Richard Sherman doesn’t need the media to tell his story about the whirlwind couple of days that saw his release and signing with a new team. Sherman is perfectly capable of sharing his own message.
“First of all, contrary to some reports, the Seahawks didn’t ask me to take a pay cut,” Sherman said Tuesday via The Players Tribune. “There was no negotiation. When I met with them on March 7 to discuss my future, they informed me of their intent to release me. They didn’t know when they were going to do it, but it would be soon, they said.”
The Seahawks released Sherman at 1 p.m. on March 9. He received a call from the 49ers just three minutes later – they wanted to meet in person.
Still in Las Vegas for the NFLPA meetings, Sherman went back to his hotel, grabbed his fiancee’ and his things, and boarded a plane for the Bay area.
“At dinner, Kyle [Shanahan, San Francisco’s head coach] made one hell of a pitch,” Sherman continued. “He has an incredible football mind – he’s just a great tactician – and we talked for hours about different schemes and about his vision for the team. He really impressed me.”
The following day, Sherman met with 49ers’ doctors before he and 49ers general manager John Lynch and team’s cap strategist sat down and talked numbers. With the terms of the contract in place, Sherman reached out to Seahawks general manager, John Schneider.
“When John Schneider told me that Seattle was going to release me, he asked me to bring any contract offer I got from another team back to him so that the Seahawks could have an opportunity to match it,” Sherman explained. “I told him I would. So when the 49ers and I struck a deal, I immediately stepped out of the room and called John.
“I gave the Seahawks an opportunity to match. They didn’t.”
So Sherman signed the deal with the 49ers and is now officially a member of one of the Seahawks most-storied division rivals. But the cornerback’s saga isn’t really that complicated. Sherman just wanted to feel appreciated.
“The 49ers were the first team that called me, and they showed genuine interest,” Sherman said. “And I want to play someplace where I know I’m valued – where I know I’m wanted. So that was a big deal for me. They also made me an offer that other teams weren’t willing to match.”
So there’s the story from the horse’s mouth about how the Seahawks’ All-Pro cornerback came to land in San Francisco, whether you like the ending or not.
“But just keep in mind: I didn’t choose to leave Seattle,” Sherman concluded.
“The Seahawks chose to let me go.”
