It’s anew era for Seahawks football — there’s no denying it.
Among the notable names no longer suiting up for Seattle this coming season are Kam Chancellor (retirement), Michael Bennett (Eagles), Jimmy Graham (Packers), Jeremy Lane (unsigned), Sheldon Richardson (Vikings) and, the most outspoken of all, Richard Sherman.
Sherman is still in the NFC West, but as a member of the 49ers. And now out of the Seattle locker room, the three-time All-Pro was unbridled in his criticism for his former team.
“They’ve lost their way. It’s as simple as that. They’ve just lost their way. When you make too many mistakes over a long period of time, you kind of dig yourself a hole. And then when you backtrack, you gotta make a bunch of rash decisions to try and fill the hole and hope that it holds up,” Sherman told SI.com while touching on the contract dispute between safety Earl Thomas and the Seahawks.
“When we were rolling it was an environment for pure competitors. When it becomes something else, then it’s more difficult to thrive in, and I think that’s what was tough on Earl, that’s what was tough on a lot of guys. But I think as it kind of progressed, you start seeing the writing on the wall. You’re like, ‘Not only are they probably moving in a different direction,’ but it’s like, ‘Ah, well, I kind of want to move in a different direction, too.’ So it happens like that. All great things must come to an end, I guess.”
Thomas, who suffered a season-ending leg injury in Week 13 last season, publicly asked the team for either an extension or a trade Monday on Instagram. It seems the NFC powerhouse that went to back-to-back Super Bowls (including a win in 2014) is systematically crumbling.
“It’s just unfortunate. It’s really unfortunate,” Sherman says. “I think it’ll all come out when they do the '30 for 30.' Mistakes and poor judgment on things ruined what could have been a really special deal. You don’t have much left right now. And to say you’re not going to pay Earl Thomas is just ... There’s no decline in play there. He’s played the game the right way. Who do you have to pay? You have the two best linebackers in the game. You have the quarterback. You have a great wide receiver in Doug [Baldwin]. And you’re paying Duane Brown. …
“I’m not even going to worry about it now. I’ve got bigger fish to fry.”
The Seahawks and Sherman’s 49ers meet this season Week 13 in Seattle and again Week 15 at Levi’s Stadium.