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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Chris Roling

Richard Sherman claims disrespect by Bengals fueled his early career

Richard Sherman, one of the most prominent players in the upcoming Super Bowl between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs, has quite the interesting claim that involves the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaking in an interview with The Athletic’s David Lombardi, Sherman revealed that disrespect by then-Bengals coach Marvin Lewis at the Senior Bowl back in 2011 gave him a chip on his shoulder. Sherman says Lewis yelled at him for getting beat on a play and that he wouldn’t get drafted.

Per Sherman:

“I was like, OK, you don’t know who the (expletive) you’re talking to, but I hear you. You’re the coach, so I can’t say (expletive) to you right now, but I usually get my revenge. And I’m gonna get my revenge.”

Sherman’s revenge on Lewis apparently came during Week 8 of the 2011 season when he intercepted a pass intended for A.J. Green:

“I got a pick on his team that he’s coaching, in front of his bench. And I threw the ball right at him, like, ‘You (expletive). Don’t you ever talk about me.’ That was my first career pick. I don’t have the ball from my first career pick.”

Video of the interception is unclear as to whether Sherman really flipped the ball to Marvin Lewis himself. Funnily enough, that was a 34-12 win for the Bengals in Seattle.

Of course, Sherman has been known to wildly exaggerate things that have been caught openly on camera in the past, so inject this one with a massive dose of salt. As if Bengals fans needed another reason not to root for the 49ers.

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