Richard Sherman has never hidden his disdain for the NFL playing games on Thursday nights, just four days removed from their last action. He’s consistently called out the league for claiming to be concerned about player safety when they put two teams at a higher risk for injury every week.
Right now player safety is the hot topic following Tua Tagovailoa’s scary concussion in Thursday night’s contest between the Dolphins and the Bengals. Sherman is now doing commentary for Amazon on their TNF broadcasts, which some folks have taken as a sign of hypocrisy. Some of the more outspoken voices come from Pro Football Talk.
PFT’s Michael David Smith started the action with this tweet:
As an active player, Richard Sherman was one of the most vocal critics of Thursday Night Football, arguing that it was dangerous for players to play with so little time off between games. Now he cashes a paycheck on Thursday Night Football and ignores the issue after Tua's injury
— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) September 30, 2022
Sherman responded with the obvious answer that his employment has no impact whatsoever on the league playing Thursday games or not.
Clearly scared to tag me. If you watched the show you would know my comments on TUAs injury. To act as if me working for a network has any bearing on if the game will be played or not is asinine. We can have a face to face conversation about the issue. https://t.co/NytvwQI3cV
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) September 30, 2022
Then Mike Florio jumped in, calling out Sherman for not carrying over his anti-Thursday energy into his new job.
Richard, you called TNF a “poopfest” and you wrote an entire column called “Why I Hate Thursday Night Football.” That energy was nowhere to be seen from you when it was needed most. https://t.co/LQ6wMKf8Wm
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 2, 2022
Sherman didn’t back down, replying with a few more tweets:
When it was needed most? So the UNC not engaging is proper protocols was because of me being on the TNF desk? So him going back in the game sunday had to do with me being on the TNF desk? Not in the least. But hey instead of placing blame where it should be this is the best 1/2 https://t.co/qOT4mSpR5Q
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) October 2, 2022
You can do. If this was a injury that was caused by something other than gross negligence and instead caused by the quick turn around then that would have been the point i made. But again these conversations can be had face to face and you my friend keep that same energy.
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) October 2, 2022
Sherman finished his thread by inviting Florio to continue watching.
But Mike I appreciate occupying space in your head. Be sure to keep checking me out Thursday @NFLonPrime. 7pm Est. INDvsDen. If you dont catch that one then the next week is another oppurtunity! https://t.co/qOT4mS7HRI
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) October 2, 2022
