From the moment San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman complained to reporters that Baker Mayfield snubbed him in the pregame handshake, it was obvious that notorious Mayfield-hating talking head Colin Cowherd would latch onto the narrative all morning — especially after a 31-3 Browns loss.
And that he did.
There was just one problem: Richard Sherman was lying about the handshake snub.
By now, plenty of video has hit the internet of the handshakes for the pregame coin toss on Monday night. It was clear the Mayfield didn’t snub Sherman — not at all. If anything, Sherman wouldn’t even look at Mayfield as he had a brief handshake with the Browns quarterback.
This video — particularly the footage from the 49ers Instagram Story — was available hours before Cowherd hit the air for FS1’s The Herd, but Cowherd elected to take Sherman’s word without any corroborating video. The result was a five-minute rant that made Cowherd look especially foolish in hindsight.
Cowherd said:
“Baker, this league is hard for Patrick Mahomes with Andy Reid. You watch him against Detroit, you watch him this week against the Colts. This league is eating up hurdle, roadblock, obstacle for Patrick Mahomes who can throw it from where I’m sitting to Canton, Ohio, on a straight line. You’re 5-11.5, looks like you gained weight, run a 4.84, 40 with a rookie head coach and a bad O-line. And you’re taunting people?!
Andrew Luck, used to, after getting sacked, congratulate the lineman … Russell Wilson, has there ever been anybody who wins and loses with more grace? And you’re not in their class. This, in the history of calling right, calling wrong, this is my first-ballot right. Police video, leading the NFL in picks, taunting NFL players. What is that? Bad judgement. That’s just bad judgement. Stop with the 29 commercials. ‘I feel dangerous.’”
Cowherd should check the video next time …
Mayfield absolutely didn’t taunt Sherman.
