“My Whole Groin Said ‘Snap, Snap, Snap, Snap’” | Former All-Pro Cornerback Richard Sherman Details When He Knew It Was Time To Hang Up The Cleats

At one point in his career, future Hall of Fame cornerback Richard Sherman was arguably the best in the league at his position. Sherman was the unquestioned member of the Seattle Seahawks vaunted “Legion of Boom,” secondary that terrorized quarterbacks and offenses for the better part of four to five seasons (2012-16). That unit led the team to two Super Bowl appearances and one Super Bowl win over that time frame, and it’s where Sherman established himself as a shutdown corner. 

After being released by Seahawks following the 2017 season, Sherman joined the division rival Niners. There he didn’t miss a beat, making second-team All-Pro and helping the Niners reach the Super Bowl in 2019. After three seasons in San Francisco, the Buccaneers, who were fresh off the team’s second Super Bowl win in franchise history, signed Sherman to a one-year deal, but this is where Sherman realized he couldn’t do it anymore. 

Eagles DeVonta Smith Helps Retire “The Shermanator”

In a recent episode of Sherman’s podcast, the former Stanford wide receiver talked about the night he knew it was time to hang up the cleats. 

“DeVonta must’ve run this comeback route and I had him under control, you know what I mean? I was like, bang, quick jam, easy, got him under control. He must’ve stopped, and I tried to stop, and my whole groin said ‘snap, snap, snap, snap.’

“At that moment, I was like, ‘Yeah, this is probably my last year I don’t got it for these young dudes right now.’”

That season, Sherman’s last, he only played in five games. In fact, the five-time All-Pro and five time Pro Bowl pick only played in one more game that season following that baptism from Smith, the rising Eagles star and 2020 Heisman Trophy winner. 

Sherman Shifted Seamlessly Into The Studio

With football on the gridiron now behind him, Sherman shifted to the studio. Prior to the 2022 NFL season, Sherman was hired by Amazon Prime to join its “Thursday Night Football” coverage. 

The witty and insightful Sherman who brings a wealth of knowledge, and a Stanford education to the set, has been a welcome addition to the team. 

Sherman has also shut down any talk of him returning to the field, simply saying over and over again he’s “done.”

`
Back to top