"People are out there burning my jersey" - When Richard Sherman opened up on leaving Seahawks
San Francisco cornerback Richard Sherman was released by Seattle on March 9, 2018, after seven seasons. He was soon picked up by the 49ers and faced the Seahawks in a return game on Dec. 2, 2018, at CenturyLink Field.
However, Sherman’s anticipated return to the stadium was bittersweet. During an interview with The MMQB in March 2018, he expressed his feelings about the fans and leaving Seattle.
“I love the fan base to death, and I loved playing there," Sherman said. "It was such a great opportunity. I helped the organization get to a great place and stay there.
"But now it's like I abandoned them. People are out there burning my jersey. Come on. I'm not the one who let me go. They let me go. I didn't abandon anybody.”
Sherman was released by the Seahawks due to financial constraints. He was set to earn $13 million for the 2018 season, and the team saved $11 million in cap space by releasing him. Sherman was reluctant to accept a pay cut.
Another reason behind letting Sherman go was his mounting injury history. In November 2017, he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, which ended his season prematurely. Sherman underwent a second surgery shortly before his release. Seattle was concerned about whether Sherman could return to his previous performance level.
His release marked their transition from the "Legion of Boom" era, as the Seahawks parted ways with several other key defensive players around the same time.
Sherman signed a three-year $39 million contract with San Francisco. In his debut season with the team, he started 14 games and recorded 37 tackles, one sack, four passes defended and a fumble recovery.
Richard Sherman and San Francisco 49ers ended a losing streak against the Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks’ concerns over Richard Sherman’s performance turned out to be unfounded, as he was targeted only twice by Seattle’s offense, allowing just a single 21-yard reception. The Seahawks lost the game 43-16.
However, two weeks later, the two teams clashed again, and Seattle came out victorious 26-23, which also ended its 10-game losing streak. Sherman expressed gratitude toward his teammates in Seattle for showing up against his former team. He played for the Seahawks until 2020, but his journey was marred by multiple injuries, and he ended his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021.