Richard Sherman-Michael Crabtree beef supposedly started at offseason charity event

January 20, 2014

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Here is what we know for sure about the relationship between Richard Sherman and Michael Crabtree — it is not a good one. Sherman tore into Crabtree after the Seattle Seahawks defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday. Some of the animosity may have stemmed from comments Crabtree made last week about Sherman not being the best cornerback in the NFL. However, the feud may have started as far back as last offseason.

On Sunday evening, Sherman opened up to NFL.com’s Michael Silver and explained why he dislikes Crabtree.

Later, Sherman explained that he was angered by something Crabtree had said to him while the two were socializing with other players (including then-49ers receiver Kyle Williams, now with the Kansas City Chiefs) at a function associated with Fitzgerald’s charity softball game in Scottsdale, Ariz., last April. Sherman wouldn’t share specifics, saying only that ‘(Crabtree) said something to me, and I told him I’d make him pay for it on the field.'”

That story matches up with one that Sherman’s older brother Branton told Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times recently.

Sherman has been upset with Crabtree since last summer. Both attended Arizona star receiver Larry Fitzgerald’s charity event. While there, Sherman went to shake Crabtree’s hand, and Crabtree tried to start a fight, according to Sherman’s older brother, Branton.

‘I’m going to make a play and embarrass him,’ Richard Sherman vowed that day.”

So there you have it. These two players obviously dislike each other a great deal, and that hatred was just too much for Sherman to contain after he tipped a pass away from Crabtree that sealed the biggest victory of his career. Personally, I would have liked to see Sherman take the high road and not take attention away from a great team win. Considering Seattle is headed to the Super Bowl, I’m sure he’s already been forgiven.