It’s no secret that Richard Sherman isn’t a fan of former Seattle Seahawks teammate Russell Wilson. The outspoken Sherman has long said that Wilson’s success in the Pacific Northwest was largely dependent on the play of the team’s legendary “Legion of Boom” defense. Sherman even points to Wilson’s struggles since he left Seattle as proof as to support his argument.
Richard Sherman Says Russell Wilson Was Carried By Legion of Boom
With Wilson’s recent struggles and benching following an 0-3 start with the New York Giants, Sherman is once again downplaying Wilson’s Hall of Fame worthiness minus a dominant defense. During Thursday night’s Seahawks-Cardinals game Sherman and Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez took turns taking shots as Wilson. That drew the ire of Fox Sports analyst and “Odd Couple” radio host Rob Parker.
Parker Responds To Comments Made By Sherman
During Friday’s episode of the “Odd Couple” on Fox Sports Radio, Parker, who’s never been afraid to speak his mind, had a lot to say about Sherman.
“Why couldn’t somebody stand up and say, ‘Richard Sherman, your numbers are FUGAZI!’ … That’s why we need JOURNALISTS on set with these crazy athletes who are jaded and jealous!!!”
Parker’s comments follow Gonzalez mentioning that he hopes to never see Wilson on an NFL field again. Sherman, who won a Super Bowl with Wilson and before the Seahawks blew another, was chomping at the bit to add his two cents.
“I agree,” Sherman said. “I think you’ve got to judge his career off when the ‘Legion of Boom’ was there – he had a legendary defense, an all-time defense and how much success he had – and then without that legendary defense.”
“He was a winning football player in Seattle,” Sherman continued. “And now you get to go on your own, and you get to prove, ‘Hey, I’m this great quarterback, I’m this guy that’s gonna be dominant.’ And it just hasn’t worked out that way.”
Sherman And Gonzalez Are Wrong
While, Wilson’s last few seasons in Denver, Pittsburgh and New York haven’t been great, his time in Seattle was very good including the first fours years after the Legion of Boom defense fizzled out. During those four seasons the Seahawks went 42-22 with three playoff appearances and Wilson was even an MVP candidate in 2017, 2019 and 2020.
Wilson’s career record (130-88-1 including 9-8 in the postseason) is solid. That, along with how he’s long protected the football and avoided mistakes (353 touchdown passes) and just (112 interceptions), plus his (99.4) career quarterback rating ranking fifth all-time behind active quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow, screams Hall of Fame.
If Anything Wilson Has Overachieved
Not bad for an undersized (5 feet 11 and 205 pounds) signal caller who was selected in the third-round of the 2012 NFL draft to be the backup to then starter Matt Flynn, who signed with the team that offseason. Wilson took the job and never looked back, and if this indeed is the last we see of him, his stats and accolades say Hall of Famer, and, no, it won’t be first ballot, but he’ll have a bust in Canton.
