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© 2025 COLD WIRE MEDIA. THE COLD WIRE IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF COLD WIRE MEDIA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. USE OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OUR TERMS OF USE AND PRIVACY POLICY

Friday, April 17, 2026

The Life And Career Of Richard Sherman

Ben Donahue
By
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The Life And Career Of Richard Sherman
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

 

Seattle Seahawks fans remember Richard Sherman as a ball-hawking, trash-talking cornerback who was one of the founding members of the “Legion of Boom.”

Although he is best known for his time in the Pacific Northwest, Sherman was talented enough to play for any NFL club.

In fact, sports fans living in Southern California in the early 2000s knew he was destined for greatness.

As a prep football player, Sherman was a threat in all three phases of the game, and he was an All-American track athlete.

However, what really set Sherman apart from his peers was his work in the classroom.

Following his graduation with superior grades and test scores, Sherman matriculated at Stanford University.

During his career with the Cardinal, he was a standout on both sides of the ball before becoming a fifth-round pick by Seattle in 2011.

Right off the bat, Sherman proved he was one of the best young corners in the game when he intercepted an astounding 20 passes in just his first three years.

Since retiring in 2022, Sherman has worked for Amazon and Fox Sports, as well as co-hosting his own podcast.

This is the story of Richard Sherman.

 

Kid from Compton

Richard Kevin Sherman was born on March 30, 1988, in Compton, California.

Compton is widely known as one of the toughest cities in the country because of its violent crime and gang activity.

Living in the heart of the city with easy riches from drugs while ducking for cover from a hail of bullets appeals to some of the young men residing there.

Thankfully, Sherman was able to avoid the temptation.

His father worked 10-hour days as a garbage truck driver, and his mom worked with inner-city kids who had disabilities.

In many ways, Sherman was fortunate to grow up with two parents who exemplified hard work.

From the very beginning, he set out to prove himself to anyone who doubted him.

When he arrived at Dominguez High School in Compton, Sherman went out for football and track armed with immense athletic talent.

Additionally, he excelled in the classroom and considered his future when he discarded popular slang words for proper English, which made him the target of teasing from friends.

 

BMOC

Such teasing might get under the skin of most kids, but Sherman used the slights as more fuel.

He started as a receiver and defensive back for the Dons, beginning his junior year, and made a name for himself with his skills.

By then, Sherman stood over six feet tall, and his leaping skills honed on the track made him difficult to defend on offense as he skied for 23 catches, 415 yards and six touchdowns.

When he switched to defense, his coach, Keith Donerson, knew how to motivate him.

“His motivation is to prove people wrong,” Donerson said. “In (high) school it was easy for him to play corner because all we do is put him on the best receiver and say ‘Richard, I don’t think you can cover him. He’s going to Cal or (some other Division I school) and the guy wouldn’t catch a pass.”

During Sherman’s senior year in 2005, he caught 28 passes for 870 yards, scored three touchdowns on punt returns, and piled up 45 tackles, broke up eight passes and intercepted one.

In two years as a starter, Sherman had 45 receptions for 1,134 yards and 17 scores, and received a ton of accolades, including all-state, All-West, and All-Far West honors by various recruiting magazines.

When it came time for track, he was a California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state champ in the triple jump (receiving USA Today All-American status), a third-place finisher in the state finals of the 110-meter hurdles, and a sixth-place finisher in the long jump.

Additionally, Sherman was ranked seventh overall in the state as a triple jumper and even posted a 10.77 second time in the 100-meter dash.

 

Choosing Stanford

Even with his busy sports schedule, Sherman didn’t dare slack in his studies and ended high school with a 4.2 GPA and a 1200 on his SAT exam.

Out of the 420 students in his graduating class, Sherman was second overall and was his class’s salutatorian (and voted “Most Likely to Succeed.”)

Then, when he could have easily stayed home and attended UCLA or USC, Sherman decided to head north and attend Stanford University, a school known more for its academics than its football.

“He could’ve went anywhere, but he went to Stanford because people said he wasn’t going to be able to make it academically,” Donerson said.

Head coach Walt Harris was more than happy to add him to a roster that went 5-6 in 2005.

Sherman played in 12 games as a true freshman and lined up at receiver as the Cardinal regressed significantly, ending ‘06 with a 1-11 record.

Meanwhile, number 9 had 34 catches for 581 yards (both stats led the team) and three touchdowns.

During a loss against Washington State on September 23, Sherman had six receptions for 177 yards and a touchdown, bringing him Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Week honors.

Following the season, he was selected as a first-team Pac-10 All-Freshman and an honorable mention freshman All-American from The Sporting News.

 

Switching Positions

In early 2007, former NFL quarterback and University of San Diego coach Jim Harbaugh was hired to lead the Cardinal.

Right away, the team improved to 4-8 while Sherman caught 39 passes for 651 yards and four touchdowns (last two stats led Stanford).

When the season ended, Sherman approached assistant coach David Shaw and asked to play corner instead.

Shaw was well aware that the receiving core was woefully thin except for Sherman.

“We thought it was advantageous to have one guy on offense [who], if he touches the ball in the right spot, he can score,” Shaw said. “With him, we didn’t have to go four yards at a time. It was hard for me for to tell him to go play defense because I didn’t have anyone else I thought could go do that. Richard was the only one. I told him, ‘I just can’t do it, Rich. We need you on offense.'”

Things changed in 2008, however, when Sherman was injured four games into the season and was sidelined the rest of the year.

Due to the injury, he was granted another year of eligibility.

He then approached Shaw again in the summer of 2009, and after Harbaugh signed off on the move, Sherman suited up at corner.

 

Making Plays

American Football amongst the Yard Lines

 

Returning to the defensive side of the ball was like returning home for Sherman.

Stanford improved from a five-win team in 2008 to an 8-5 record in 2009 (and a loss in the Sun Bowl to Oklahoma).

Much of that improvement had to do with the team’s new corner, who piled up 62 combined tackles, two interceptions, and a pick-six against USC on November 14.

Not only did he make plays on defense, but Sherman also returned 15 punts for 154 yards and scored a return touchdown against San Jose State on September 19.

“He’s got a big heart,” Harbaugh said in 2008. “He’s one of those personalities that walk into a room and can light it up. People like him and want to be around him.”

In 2010, Harbaugh coached a roster that included Sherman on defense and a stacked offense with quarterback Andrew Luck, receiver Doug Baldwin, and tight ends Zach Ertz and Coby Fleener (all future NFL players).

The Cardinal started 4-0 before losing to the Oregon Ducks on October 2, then didn’t lose again (including a 40-12 blowout against Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl).

Sherman had 50 combined tackles, including a tackle for a loss and four interceptions, as a fifth-year senior.

 

College Stats

During his college career, Sherman had 81 receptions for 1,340 yards and seven touchdowns as a receiver.

As a corner, he had 113 combined tackles, six interceptions and one pick-six.

Additionally, Sherman returned 23 punts for 215 yards and two touchdowns, and returned one kick for 16 yards.

While at Stanford, he was also on the track team and competed in the long jump and triple jump.

In late January 2011, Sherman was invited to play in the Senior Bowl and did well, deflecting two passes during the contest.

Stanford hosted a pre-draft workout in March, and Sherman’s performance led many pro football scouts to label him a second to fifth round NFL Draft prospect.

 

Seattle Drafts Sherman

Seahawks at the Saints; A Seattle Seahawks helmet rests on the sideline during the game; The Saints won the game by the score of 34-19; New Orleans, Louisiana

 

Turns out the talking heads were correct.

With the 154th overall selection in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks picked Sherman.

At the time, Seattle had a pretty good defensive back room that included fellow rookie corner Byron Maxwell, corner Brandon Browner, and safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor.

Head coach Pete Carroll was in his second year and hoped to build off 2010.

That season, the Seahawks won only seven games, but still qualified for the playoffs and stunned New Orleans in the playoffs when running back Marshawn Lynch engaged his “Beast Quake” run to win.

The organization lost in the divisional round at Chicago the following week.

A follow-up 7-9 season in 2011 did not get Seattle back to the playoffs.

But Sherman cracked the lineup to start 10 games and tally 55 combined tackles, one forced fumble, 17 passes defended and four interceptions.

He was then selected to the PFWA All-Rookie Team during awards season.

 

The “Legion of Boom”

In 2012, the Seahawks’ defense was a work of art.

Rookie linebacker Bobby Wagner would develop into one of the best at the position, and veteran linebacker Malcolm Smith provided a stabilizing presence.

Then there was the secondary.

Including Sherman, Browner, Marcus Trufant, Chancellor, Maxwell, Thomas, Walter Thurmond, and rookies DeShawn Shead and Jeremy Lane, the unit was given the nickname the “Legion of Boom” by a fan.

The moniker was apt in the fact that each player could pick off passes as well as lay down the boom on opposing ballcarriers.

During the ‘12 season, the organization went 11-5, and Sherman was everywhere all at once with 65 combined tackles (career-high), one sack, three forced fumbles, an NFL-best 24 passes broken up, eight interceptions and one pick-six.

“You cannot talk about the greats in Seahawks history without talking about Richard Sherman,” fellow teammate Doug Baldwin said.

He was voted a first-team All-Pro, and the defensive unit as a whole was tops in the league.

A year later, Sherman picked off another eight passes (tops in the NFL), had another pick-six, 16 passes broken up, two fumble recoveries and 48 combined tackles.

In addition to a second, first-team All-Pro nod, he was also selected to his first Pro Bowl.

Better yet, the 2013 defense was tops in the NFL again, and the Seahawks went 13-3.

 

Talkin’ Trash

Seattle beat New Orleans in the divisional round before facing the San Francisco 49ers (and Jim Harbaugh, his former coach at Stanford) in the NFC Championship game.

Before the contest, there was some back-and-forth between members of the Legion and 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree about the outcome of the game.

Late in the fourth quarter, Seattle led 23-17, and San Francisco was perched on the Seahawks’ 18-yard line with 30 seconds left.

Quarterback Colin Kaepernick dropped back to pass and spied Crabtree in the end zone.

He let loose a laser that was deflected by Sherman and intercepted by Smith to seal the win.

After the play, Sherman ran over to Crabtree and extended his hand, and the receiver responded by shoving the cornerback in the facemask.

Sherman then motioned to Kaepernick and made a choke sign.

Although Sherman was fined by the NFL for the gestures, the play itself would go down in team lore as “The Immaculate Deflection.”

Following the game, Sherman was interviewed by Fox Sports’ Erin Andrews and talked some serious smack.

“I’m the best corner in the game. When you try me with a sorry receiver like [Michael] Crabtree, that’s the result you gonna get,” yelled Sherman into the camera.

 

Seattle Wins the Super Bowl

superbowl

 

Sherman had proven himself as one of the best corners in the NFL for three years.

His play included an astounding 20 interceptions and two pick-sixes between 2011 and 2013.

Furthermore, he was one of the founding members of the “Legion of Boom.”

However, his comment to Andrews sparked backlash among fans not affiliated with the Seahawks, who referred to Sherman as a “thug.”

That word irritated those who knew him best.

“He makes the play to send them to the Super Bowl, so it’s the biggest emotion he’s ever felt in this sport, and that’s why the whole conversation ended up to be one thing,” his former Stanford coach, David Shaw said. “Whenever people don’t like what he says or don’t like how he responds to something, I remind them what it took for him to get out of where he was to get to where he is,” Shaw continued.

Two weeks later, Seattle and the Denver Broncos met in Super Bowl XLVIII and the Seahawks’ defense was relentless.

Sherman had a pass deflection and three combined tackles before leaving the game late with an ankle sprain.

The rest of the D did just fine without him, and Seattle won its first Super Bowl, 43-8.

 

Show Me the Money

Heading into the following offseason, Sherman was due a pay raise.

“Whatever they feel I am due. I will take it as respect,” Sherman told NFL Network. “It’s all about respect in this game, and the only way people show respect is the dollars. We’ll see what happens.”

Roughly a month later, the team showed him respect with a four-year extension for $57.4 million (the highest paid corner in NFL history at the time).

“The goal has always been to stay in Seattle and continue to play for the Seahawks,” Sherman wrote on his blog. “With this chapter closed, I can continue to focus on what is important — defending our Super Bowl Championship and being the best cornerback in the NFL.”

The Seahawks had the NFL’s best defense for three years straight on the way to a 12-4 record.

Sherman had 57 tackles and four picks, and was honored with Pro Bowl number two and first team All-Pro honors.

During the divisional round and NFC Championship games, the corner had two combined picks.

Then, in Super Bowl XLIX against New England, he had three tackles as the Seahawks missed their bid for a second consecutive world title after Patriots corner Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson with 20 seconds left.

The play preserved New England’s 28-24 win.

 

Leaving Seattle

Between 2015 and the end of the 2017 season, Sherman continued to play good football.

During that span, he intercepted eight passes despite missing seven games in 2017 due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, and was a second-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler after ‘15.

In December 2015, the Seahawks announced that Sherman was named their Man of the Year for his community service as well as his play on the gridiron.

The corner and his wife, Ashley, had run his “Blanket Coverage – The Richard Sherman Family Foundation” since 2013 that gave clothing and school supplies to inner city kids.

He also spoke at several school assemblies and mentored young kids about the importance of goal setting.

“We’re trying to help a lot of kids academically, to get themselves in a better position to be successful later on in life,” Sherman said.

Unfortunately, even the best situations come to an end.

In March 2018, Seattle announced that they were releasing Sherman.

“Thank you for helping win championships, shape our culture, and define success in Seattle,” the Seahawks said in a statement. “We love you and your unwavering competitiveness, confidence, and fierce passion for football and life. For that, you will always be a Hawk!”

 

Second Act in San Francisco

San Francisco 49ers

 

Seattle and San Francisco have been division rivals for almost a quarter-century.

Sherman had been a thorn in the side of the Niners for seven years and irritated San Francisco fans and players alike.

That’s why it was surprising when he signed with the franchise in March 2018.

“Richard is one of the premier competitors Kyle and I have ever encountered,” said General Manager John Lynch. “We look forward to him sharing his wealth of experience and his passion for the game of football with our team.”

Sherman quickly endeared himself to the Niners’ fans when he started 14 games and collected 37 tackles and a sack in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s second year.

Four wins led to 13 in 2019, a very unexpected turnaround.

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo passed for nearly 4,000 yards, and Sherman helped the San Fran defense improve from 28th overall in 2018 to eighth in 2019.

He was selected for his fifth Pro Bowl and a second-team All-Pro award with 61 tackles, 11 passes defended, three interceptions, and a pick-six, and nominated by the organization as the Walter Payton Man of the Year for his continued work in the community.

In the divisional round against Minnesota, he had an interception and also intercepted a pass from Packers QB Aaron Rodgers in the NFC title game.

Then, for the third time in his career, Sherman played for a championship in Super Bowl LIV against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

After the contest, he was criticized for his poor play as the Niners lost, 31-20.

 

Retirement

Retirement

 

San Francisco took a huge step backward in 2020 when the team went 6-10.

It didn’t help that Sherman was limited to only five games because of a calf strain.

When the season ended, the Niners chose not to re-sign him.

In July 2021, Sherman was arrested in Redmond, Washington, for criminal trespass and malicious mischief (both included a designation of domestic violence), resisting arrest, and DUI, and endangering the lives of road workers.

During the altercation with law enforcement, Sherman was injured when a police dog was used to subdue him.

The matter wasn’t settled until March 2022.

In the meantime, in late September 2021, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reached out and signed Sherman.

“I went with the best offer I had,” Sherman said. “The best opportunity to put some great tape on to lead another group. I feel comfortable and confident in my abilities to go up there and execute and help that team win.”

While QB Tom Brady and the Bucs won 13 games and advanced to the divisional round before losing, Sherman played in just five games, starting three.

He had one interception, 11 tackles, a pass deflection and a fumble recovery.

When the season ended, Sherman retired.

 

Career Stats and Awards

During his 11-year career, Sherman had 495 combined tackles, two sacks, seven fumble recoveries and five forced fumbles, 116 passes defended, and 37 interceptions for 478 return yards and three pick-sixes.

He also had four punt returns for 64 yards.

Sherman was a five-time All-Pro, five-time Pro Bowler, PFWA All-Rookie Team member, NFL interceptions leader once, and played in three Super Bowls, winning one.

The former corner is a member of the Seahawks’ Top 50 players and was added to the NFL’s 2010s All-Decade Team.

 

Life Since Retirement

Sherman didn’t stay away from football for long.

In the summer of 2022, he was added as a pre and post-game analyst for NFL games on Amazon.

Two months later, he started his own podcast with friend Mitchell Eisenstein called The Richard Sherman Podcast.

The following summer, Sherman replaced former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe on the Fox Sports show Undisputed with Skip Bayless, which lasted until 2024.

The Shermans have two children, Rayden and Avery, and continue to run Blanket Coverage.

 

References

https://lasentinel.net

https://www.seahawks.com

https://www.foxsports.com

https://www.espn.com

https://stanfordmag.org

https://www.espn.com

https://www.seahawks.com

https://www.49ers.com

https://www.espn.com

https://abc7.com

https://komonews.com

https://www.seahawks.com

https://www.foxsports.com

https://www.profootballnetwork.com

https://50.seahawks.com

https://www.49ers.com

https://www.sports-reference.com

https://gostanford.com

https://www.pro-football-reference.com

NEXT:  The Life And Career Of Curt Warner

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Ben Donahue
Contributor at Pro Football History
Over 25 years of experience in sports including coach, athletic director, game day operations, media relations, football operations, and scout. He is [...]

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