Richard Sherman was already one of the NFL’s top cornerbacks by the end of the 2013 season.
But it was his performance in the Seattle Seahawks’ victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game — and subsequent postgame interview — that made him a bonafide superstar.
Matching up against Michael Crabtree, Sherman deflected a pass in the end zone that resulted in a game-sealing interception, sending Seattle to the Super Bowl. After the game, the Seahawks’ star cornerback was interviewed on the field by Fox’s Erin Andrews and used the opportunity to take aim at the 49ers wide receiver.
“Well I’m the best corner in the game! When you try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree, that’s the result you’re gonna get!” a visibly angry Sherman shouted at the camera. “Don’t you ever talk about me!”
“Who was talking about you?” Andrews inquired.
“Crabtree. Don’t you talk about the best,” Sherman responded. “Or I’m gonna shut it for you real quick. L.O.B. [Legion of Boom].”
Sherman’s postgame rant — which occurred 10 years ago from Friday — instantly went viral and received mainstream attention, especially in the two-week lead-up to the Seahawks’ Super Bowl matchup against the Denver Broncos. Ultimately, the interview proved to be a launching pad for Sherman as he would go on to be named the cover athlete of the Madden ’15 video game following Seattle’s Super Bowl victory.
The All-Pro cornerback wasn’t the only participant in the interview to receive recognition for it, as Andrews discussed it on multiple talk shows in the months and years that followed. While Andrews had already established herself as one of football’s top sideline reporters by that point, her interview with Sherman has proven to be one of the signature moments of her career.
Even as recently as December 2022, Sherman joined Andrews’ Calm Down with Erin and Charissa podcast to relive their shared viral moment.
After retiring following the 2021 NFL season, Sherman has gone from interviewee to interviewer, joining Amazon’s pre and postgame broadcasts for Thursday Night Football on Prime Video. It’s a move that might not have happened had he not announced himself as a force — and personality — to be reckoned with a decade ago.
