NEW YORK – A week after dragging Michael Crabtree’s name through the mud, calling the 49ers wideout a ‘sorry receiver’, Richard Sherman has offered nothing but praise to the receiver he’ll most likely matchup with in Super Bowl XLVIII, Denver’s Demaryius Thomas.
“I definitely think he’s top five,” Sherman said. “He put together the type of year and done everything in his power to put himself in that conversation. He’s made big catches, he’s got a lot of run after the catches, he turns some small plays into huge plays, and I think that he’s a great receiver.”
The boisterous vocal leader of the Seahawks’ vaunted Legion of Boom has made a name for himself over the past two seasons by flapping his gums and getting underneath the skin of his opponents, but he’s backed up his strong opinions with even stronger play of the field. Over the last three seasons no player has more interceptions than Seattle’s ‘Mad Chatter’ (20), who stated that he can’t function at the same level without yapping between plays.
So is the soft-spoken Thomas expecting more of the same come Sunday?
“I really don’t know because me and Richard are close friends. We met in the offseason when we did a Nike camp together, so I really don’t know if he’ll say much to me,” Thomas said.
Either way, Thomas isn’t phased by on-the-field trash talk. Quiet in his demeanor, the All-Pro receiver prefers to let his game speak more than himself — a state of being acquired from his childhood days and shaped from his time with Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson when they played together at Georgia Tech.
“When I was growing up as a kid I’d try to do same thing. I try to control myself on the field and be silent. It’s not about being boastful and making sure everybody knows you’re making plays,” Thomas said.
That’s quite the contrary to the approach many players take in today’s in-an-instant, headline-grabbing National Football League. The same is two-fold for the receiver and cornerback position — perhaps the only positions where there are 1-on-1 matchups that are easily identifiable to viewers. The Terrell Owens, Chad Johnsons, Michael Irvins and Deion Sanders of the NFL made self-promotion a gold standard for their positions as the league continued its surging rise as America’s preeminent sport.
Thomas, who’s posted back-to-back 90+ receptions, 1,400+ yards & 10+ TDs, doesn’t see how smack talk helps his game. Instead he’s looking forward to the possible matchup between the walking megaphone Sherman and his mild-mannered self, to ‘show what kind of player he is’.
“I think it’s pointless [to talk trash]. I understand why some guys do it, but I’m trying to keep my breath the whole time. I think boasting makes you tired,” he said.
During his time at Georgia Tech with Johnson — reserved in his own right, Thomas honed the quiet assassin approach that Johnson has assumed since entering the league. Thomas said his relationship with Johnson is ‘great’ and the time spent at Georgia Tech helped mold him into the player he is now.
And now Thomas finds himself amidst a chaotic sidebar storyline for the Super Bowl against perhaps the loudest player currently in the NFL. But don’t expect the two stars to be matched up for the entire game. Sherman is the Seahawks lockdown left corner back and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn doesn’t allow him to play solely man and follow the opponents top receiver. Conversely, so much of what the record-setting Broncos offense do well is disguising their formations by bunching receivers and moving them over the field to create favorable match-ups. Denver offensive coordinator Adam Gase loves to utilize Thomas’ combination of size and speed to run flanker screens or get him on a slower linebacker or smaller safety in the slot.
No matter how many times the two line up across from each other, Sherman will be looking forward to the opportunity.
“He’s a great competitor, and I’m sure it’s going to be a fun night for both of us because we’re both intense competitors and good players.”
