After the NFC Championship game Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, fresh off a game-sealing deflection of a pass intended for Michael Crabtree that was intercepted, had harsh words for his 49ers opponent.
In an interview with Erin Andrews Sherman called Crabtree a "sorry receiver" and later referred to him as "mediocre." Most of the backlash about his rant centered around how "classless" he sounded, how it portrayed him as a "thug," and also made him look "selfish" for making the game revolve around him rather than the Seahawks as a whole.
Denver Broncos cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has another angle to attack Sherman's antics though. He led off his tirade by calling himself the best cornerback in the league-Rodgers-Cromartie thinks he isn't even in the top five.
"As far as being the best, I wouldn't say that," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "As long as you got a Champ Bailey, an Asante Samuel, a Charles Woodson in the (league), you can't say you're the best." His top five concluded with Darrelle Revis of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Antonio Cromartie of the Jets.
"You have to respect them," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "They put the time in. ... They paved the way."
When informed of Rodgers-Cromartie's comments Sherman shrugged them off. "Yeah, that's a joke," he said with a laugh. Sherman has good reason to be laughing too. Sherman led the NFL with eight interceptions, a year after finishing tied for second in that category with the same amount.
He had 17 pass defenses in 2013, a year after piling up 24, which signals a greater reluctance from quarterbacks to throw the ball his way. He ran one of those picks back for a touchdown, in addition to recovering two fumbles and making 56 total tackles.
While it will likely matter little to Sherman come game day, Rodgers-Cromartie refused to attack his character in the wake of his rant and taunt of Niners quarterback Colin Kaepernick. "I seen it. I liked it," Rodgers-Cromartie said. "A lot of people think it was disrespectful. I didn't think that about that.
"He's a guy that's been playing well. They got the No. 1 defense. He's just made the play at the end of the game."
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