Richard Sherman thinks the Seahawks should have more than one Super Bowl. The short version: Sherman, perhaps one of the league's most intense players, took issue with the kid-gloves treatment star quarterback Russell Wilson received from coach Pete Carroll, according to a peek behind the curtan from ESPN's Seth Wickersham.
That dynamic was manageable as the Seahawks were hoisting the Lombardi Trophy following the systematic dismantling of Peyton Manning and the Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. The tipping point came a year later when Seattle had a chance at back-to-back Super Bowl titles but with 26 seconds left, the ball at the Patriots' 1-yard line and Marshawn Lynch in the backfield, the Seahawks called a pass play.
It was at that moment, when Malcolm Butler came out of nowhere to intercept a pass that should have never been thrown, that derailed what appeared to be a promising run of Seahawks' championships. It got so bad that Sherman wanted out of town, reportedly imagining what it would be like to play for the Cowboys or the aforementioned Patriots.
For now, Sherman remains in Seattle where the Seahawks are among the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. But Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon, who also happens to work for the Seahawks' radio network, admits that the Butler interception still haunts the franchise.
"They are still having a hangover from two years ago, if you can believe it or not, about losing that Super Bowl in the last minute with the interception on the one-yard line," Moon recently told Brian Webber and Kordell Stewart of NFL No Huddle on TuneIn, via PFT. "And with a lot of guys, it just kind of rubbed them the wrong way and they just haven't gotten over it. This team will not be able to move on and really do what they want to do which is win another Super Bowl unless they can somehow put that behind them.
"There are certain guys on the team that just haven't been able to do that and until they are able to do that they are going to continue to keep having a very good football team but a team that is going to probably come up short of their goals because of not being able to let go of the past and letting those things become a hindrance to their success."
This sounds a lot like Sherman as he was described in Wickersham's story. But as the old saying goes, "winning fixes everything," and if the Seahawks offense can find a way to consistently score points we're guessing that will lead to fewer sideline outbursts from Sherman. If the offense continues to struggle then, well, it could be a long season.
"I think you just can't have these negative things in the back of your mind," Moon continued. "You have to be focused and be all in on what's going on in front of you and not worrying about what's behind you because those just hinder your team's success. It can become a huge distraction. It can become something that separates your football team and you don't need that when your trying to go against some of the best football teams in the league and trying to unseat them as either NFC champions or Super Bowl champions. You definitely have to make sure everybody's minds are clear and focused on what the goal is at hand and you have to leave everything that has happened in the past."
