Well, that didn’t take long.
Richard Sherman and the Seattle Seahawks landed in Glendale, Ariz., on Sunday, one week before their Super Bowl XLIX showdown against the New England Patriots on Feb. 1.
Sherman held a press conference upon his arrival in Phoenix, and naturally, he was asked about DeflateGate — specifically whether he thought New England would be punished by the NFL for it. Naturally, the outspoken cornerback’s response was nothing short of inflammatory.
“Will they be punished? Probably not,” Sherman said, via SB Nation. “Not as long as (Patriots owner) Robert Kraft and (NFL commissioner) Roger Goodell are still taking pictures at their respective homes. I think he was just at Kraft’s house last week for the AFC Championship (Game). Talk about conflict of interest. As long as that happens, it won’t affect them at all. Nothing will.”
Tell us how you really feel, Richard.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick tried to put this whole mess to rest with an impromptu press conference Saturday, and the NFL has yet to publicly release any information suggesting New England actually broke any rules.
As Sherman’s bold comments indicate, however, the Patriots’ perception as cheaters in the public eye is something that will persist, at least until the NFL makes an official ruling.
“I think the perception is the reality. It is what it is,” Sherman added, via Sporting News. “Their resume speaks for itself. You talk about getting close to the line. … I don’t really have a comment about that, but their past is what their past is, their present is what their present is.”
Thumbnail photo via Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports Images
