Getty Richard Sherman #25 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after an interception against the Green Bay Packers.
The San Francisco 49ers will be representing the NFC in Super Bowl LIV against the Kansas City Chiefs February 2, and the team met with the media Thursday for the first time since they won the NFC Championship. While most questions the team fielded concerned preparations and their upcoming opponents, one reporter jumped ahead a bit and asked a hypothetical ‘What if you win?’ question.
Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle asked one of San Francisco’s defensive leaders if he would go to the White House should the 49ers win the big game. There’s still the huge obstacle of beating the Chiefs in front of the team, but should the 49ers do that, at least one of their star defenders will very likely not be heading to the White House.
All-Pro Richard Sherman on A Potential White House Visit: ‘Not likely’
Ostler noted that he knew he was getting ahead of himself by asking this question because there’s still the Herculean task of beating Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in front of the team. Still, he went ahead and asked All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman about whether or not he planned to attend the White House if the Niners did end up winning.
“I haven’t thought about it. We’ve got a long way between now and then,” Sherman said, before adding: “But I doubt it.”
49ers’ Richard Sherman on White House visit: ‘I doubt it’
Sherman, who has been a vocal defender of Colin Kaepernick’s right to kneel in the past, has never been shy about giving his opinions when asked, but he also seems to work quite well with others who have different views and beliefs than he does.
When Rookie of the Year, defensive end Nick Bosa, drew fire in the past for his pro-Donald Trump and anti-Colin Kaepernick social media posts, it was Sherman who defended Bosa. “If he can play, he can play. If he can’t play, he won’t be here,” Sherman told the Sacramento Bee earlier this season. “But at the end of the day, that’s all that matters in football. Is he getting sacks on Sunday? Is he helping our team? Is he being a good teammate? Those are things that matter. Now, if he’s a bad teammate, that’s something we’ll address.”
The 49ers have played stellar defense all season, allowing just 17.8 points per game, while finishing with a league-high 23 forced fumbles. Both Sherman and Bosa have led the way, one providing a solid veteran presence in the secondary while the other gave a jolt of power and youth to the defensive line. If their political differences haven’t surfaced or been a problem yet, it’s doubtful they will moving forward.
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