Getty 49ers general manager John Lynch.
Richard Sherman was a quote magnet August 25 on the debut of Amazon Prime’s Thursday Night Football in Houston.
Turns out the free agent defensive back, who helped the San Francisco 49ers get to the Super Bowl and won a championship with the Seattle Seahawks, used the Thursday Night Football pregame show as a prime opportunity to make a pitch to 49ers general manager John Lynch to bring him back into the league.
His pitch also came in the wake of a significant injury update involving one of Sherman’s teammates.
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What Sherman Said
The verbose Sherman, expected to share some hard-nosed opinions in his role as a broadcaster, was joined by Lynch alongside Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tony Gonzalez and TNF host Charissa Thompson.
Lynch spoke vibrantly to Thompson about the quality of the team the 49ers are expected to field in 2022.
“We’re really excited about this year. We’ve got a good squad. We’re really excited,” Lynch told the crew.
But then came Sherman with his case to rejoin the team he played for from 2018 to 2020.
“Well, John, if you’re ever looking for a guy who was on that Super Bowl team who brings a presence, I don’t know anybody, but I’d be happy to answer some calls,” Sherman said, which drew laughs on the set.
Thompson chimed in by jokingly saying, “He’s already trying to get out of here. This is his first show and he’s already trying to leave. Unbelievable.”
Richard Sherman telling John Lynch he wants back on the #49ers 👀
via @NFLonPrime
Sherman also spent some time chatting and interacting with the guys he played with:
Reunited and it feels so good. @RSherman_25 @fred_warner @Mannymoseley @A_train2_ #DreGreenlaw #49ers
He also shared this reunion moment with Deebo Samuel, whom Sherman played with for two seasons and was a rookie on the 2019 team that Sherman helped get to the Super Bowl.
Uncle Sherm ❤️
Lynch Updates Key Injury on Defense
If Sherman were to resume his cornerback playing days, he would be walking into a CB unit that’s become younger, deeper and, in the case of fifth-round draft pick Samuel Womack, scrappier.
Still Tippin’
📺 #SFvsHOU on @NFLonPrime
Despite losing their final preseason game 17-0 to the Texans, the secondary was among the highlights of the 49ers. The Texans were bottled to just 82 passing yards and not one opposing receiver surpassed 35 yards. The 49ers broke up three passes and Tarvarius Moore was the recipient of that Womack tipped throw.
While the secondary was one of the few highlights of the loss, Lynch did drop a bombshell involving key defender and captain Jimmie Ward, who has been nursing a hamstring injury. Sherman himself asked about Ward and how the 49ers will treat the injury.
“You know what Jimmie means to us,” Lynch said to Sherman regarding his former teammate. “I don’t think the whole league and all of America knows: He allows us to do what we do. He plays like a safety but he covers like a corner and he’s often times, our best cover man. So it’s a big loss. We’ll have him on the short-term IR (injured reserve) for the first four games of the season, which is a huge loss. But we’ve got to find a way to step up.”
#49ers GM John Lynch dropped news before the game on Amazon w/ Richard Sherman underrated S Jimmie Ward would be out at least the first 4 games on short term IR…not good…
Sherman told Steve Wyche of the NFL Network on June 14 that while he was joining the Amazon team, he was still open to an NFL comeback as he’s still considered an unsigned free agent.
The 49ers, though, got production in Houston from Tashaun Gipson at Ward’s spot — finishing second on the team in solo tackles with five.