Richard Sherman has never been one to mince words, and he apparently has no love lost for his former teammate, and current New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson.
Sherman blasted Wilson while propping up himself and the legendary Seattle Seahawks‘ Legion of Boom secondary while on the set of Thursday Night Football after the Seahawks’ win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Sherman, of course, is an analyst for Amazon Prime Video but was the lockdown cornerback for the early-2010s Seahawks teams that went to the Super Bowl in consecutive seasons in 2014 and 2015. The Seahawks won their lone championship with Wilson at the helm, dominating the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium.
Wilson was benched this week in favor of rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart and may not start a game again in his NFL career.
Russell Wilson ‘Played His Way Out of the Hall of Fame’
Wilson was on a Hall of Fame trajectory based on his play in Seattle, yet his career has taken an unfortunate turn — where he went to Denver, Pittsburgh then may have capped his career with his benching for the 2025 first-round pick ahead of the Giants‘ game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Of course, Wilson balled out in New York’s 40-37 overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2, going 30 for 41 for 450 yards and three touchdowns. But in his two other games this year, Wilson is a 50.7 percent passer with one touchdown pass and two interceptions, which continues a trend of poor play since he left Seattle after the 2021 season.
“You’ve got to judge his career based on when the Legion of Boom was there,” Sherman said, touting himself, Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas and Byron Maxwell. “He had a legendary defense when he was there and what he’s done without that defense. Without that legendary defense he’s been 4-11, 7-8, 0-3 this year to start with the Giants.
Yet, Sherman wasn’t the only one piling on Wilson after Giants coach Brian Daboll made him the backup quarterback this week.
“I hope we have [seen the last of him],” said Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez, who also is an analyst on Prime Video. If ever there was somebody who played himself out of the Hall of Fame, it’s Russell Wilson.
“I don’t know if it’s going to get any better, and I don’t want to see him on the sideline holding a clipboard. I don’t think he’s done himself any favors since he left Seattle, and how’s he going to get better.”
Wilson Was ‘A Winning Football Player’ In Seattle
It’s easy for Sherman to pile on from the commentator’s booth, since the three-time All-Pro went through his own late-career falloff after leaving Seattle that was not dissimilar to Wilson’s.
Wilson was 104-53-1 and made nine Pro Bowls in his decade in the Pacific Northwest. But since he is 17-27, including his 59.1 completion percentage and 3-3 touchdown-to-interception rate for the Giants this year.
“People said ‘hey, winningest football player’ and all this good stuff,” Sherman said. “Now you get to go on your own and you get to prove that I’m this great quarterback and I’m this guy that’s going to be dominant, and it just hasn’t worked out that way.”
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