The Seattle Seahawks are known for having arguably the best fan base in the NFL, but one moment during Sunday’s NFC Championship Game brought that notion into question.
The San Francisco 49ers lost linebacker NaVorro Bowman, one of their top defenders, to a gruesome knee injury after Bowman appeared to recover a fumble at the Niners’ 1-yard line. The referees did not grant San Francisco possession, however, and Bowman needed to be carted off the field after Seahawks receiver Jermaine Kearse fell awkwardly on his left leg.
As the cart entered the tunnel, FOX television cameras caught what appeared to be popcorn raining down on Bowman from the stands at CenturyLink Field.
One of the most vocal opponents of this was Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, who was scathingly critical of his own team’s fans in his Monday column on TheMMQB.com. Many would not exactly consider Sherman a beacon of sportsmanship after his public torching of 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree, but the All-Pro said he could never condone this kind of fan behavior.
“One thing I can’t accept is what I read after the game about Seahawks fans throwing food at 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman as he was being carted off the field with his knee injury,” Sherman wrote. “If it’s true, it’s beyond terrible. That’s as low as it gets. I’m sure whoever did this is in a small minority of fans, because I don’t think that kind of action is an accurate representation of the character of the 12th man. Bowman is a great player who plays the game the right way. When he went down, I dropped to a knee and prayed for him. He deserves better than having food thrown at him as he’s carted off a field. All players deserve better than that.”
See it for yourself in the GIF below, courtesy of Guyism.
