Veteran CB Richard Sherman signs with Buccaneers after call from Tom Brady
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed a cornerback to replace the injured Sean Murphy-Bunting, and now they have one.
Veteran cornerback Richard Sherman is signing with the Bucs, the team announced on Wednesday. Sherman also made the announcement on his new podcast, "The Richard Sherman Podcast," which launched on Wednesday.
“Everything has been kind of wiry this offseason, but I finally had enough conversations, and I came to a decision that I’m going to go play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,” Sherman said via PFF. He also said that he had conversations with the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks, the only other teams he's ever played for, as well as the Carolina Panthers.
“I went with the best offer I had, the best opportunity to go out there and put some great tape on, to lead another group,” Sherman said via PFF. “I feel comfortable and confident in my abilities to go out there and execute and help that team win. Obviously, I have a ton of love for the faithful and 49er fans and the 49ers' front office and that team. A lot of guys and a lot of friends I’m still rooting for and cheering for throughout the season. Obviously, still have a lot of friends with the Seattle Seahawks.
“But this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up, and I weighed all of the options with my wife and my family, and this is what we came up with. Ready to strap them back up and go out there and show that these old legs still have some juice.”
Sherman, 33, had a turbulent offseason. In July he allegedly got into an altercation with his in-laws after driving to their home while intoxicated and was arrested in front of their home. He pleaded not guilty to five misdemeanors (one of which has been dropped), including driving under the influence, resisting arrest, and second-degree criminal trespass. A few days later he released a statement on Instagram apologizing for his actions and vowing to get the mental and emotional help he needed.
Tom Brady recruited Sherman
Sherman said on his podcast that he had discussions with multiple teams, but his conversation with the Buccaneers started in a way most people wouldn't expect: with a call from Tom Brady.
Brady and Sherman have a bit of a history, which mostly boils down to a single regular-season game in 2012, when Sherman's Seahawks beat Brady's New England Patriots in a comeback win. There was trash talk on the field, which led Sherman to tweet a picture of him and Brady together along with the caption, "U MAD BRO?" The tweet, while sadly deleted and lost to time, essentially launched Sherman into the public eye.
Sherman said on his podcast that all of that stuff is far behind them now, and he was glad Brady reached out to check in and see if he'd be interested in playing with the Bucs.
How did Richard Sherman end up in Tampa?
A phone call from Tom Brady 👀
Full episode ➡️ https://t.co/Go36b5pvOZ pic.twitter.com/bO5z2CAFnF— PFF (@PFF) September 29, 2021
“He reached out initially and just checked to see if I was in shape,” Sherman said via PFF. “He and I have had a relationship over the years. He’s a great guy. Very encouraging. Obviously, we had our history, but what happens on the field stays on the field. Off the field, I think we have a very solid relationship. And I think we both thought it would be really cool if we had an opportunity to play together at some point in time. Obviously, with our situations, it didn’t seem likely at any point in time, but he reached out and said they may express interest. And obviously, he wanted to play with me.”
The conversation between Sherman and the Bucs' front office began a few weeks ago, but really got going once cornerbacks Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean got injured. Once that happened, Sherman said their talks began moving forward like a "steamroller."