Getty Image / Adam Glanzman
At the peak of his NFL career, Richard Sherman was one of the NFL’s best corner backs and was leading an elite Seattle Seahawks defense.
A couple of years ago, he had a moment that showed him that maybe he wasn’t that same guy anymore.
2 years ago, Richard Sherman made his last stop in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
While he was there, he had one moment that convinced him it was time to retire.
During an interview with Lane Johnson on his own podcast, Sherman revealed that he was covering standout Philadelphia Eagles rookie receiver DeVonta Smith on a comeback route when he realized it might be time for him to call it a career.
the game DeVonta Smith forced Richard Sherman into retirement
wild to hear Sherm narrate it in detail
you can see him grabbing at it after the route pic.twitter.com/kM3Lc57xx7
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) July 8, 2023
“DeVonta must’ve run this comeback (route),” Sherman said. “I had him under control. I was like, bam, 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,’ and I said, ‘Whoa, whoa.”
“At that moment I was like, yeah, this is probably my last year. I don’t got it for these young dudes right here.”
Sherman actually ended up leaving the field shortly after this happened and would go on to retire at the end of that season.
Unfortunately, it’s a reality that comes for all athletes no matter how great they are at their peak.
Sherman was named an NFL All-Pro 5 times and was still making an impact in the league almost a decade into his career, but definitely wasn’t still at that level when he headed to Tampa.
It may not have been a matchup against the “Legion of Boom” version of Richard Sherman, but it looks like DeVonta Smith can add “reason Richard Sherman retired” to his resume.