Richard Sherman opens up on how DeVonta Smith showed him it was time to retire

• NFL

Richard Sherman, 35, reveals going up against DeVonta Smith during the 2021 season showed him it was time for him to retire from the NFL. Sherman, a former five-time Pro Bowl cornerback, played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021 - which later turned out to be his final season in the league.

That year, Sherman had to cover Smith, who was taken by the Philadelphia Eagles at No 10 in the 2021 NFL draft. Smith, who is now 24 years old, was just too much for Sherman, who was once of the best cornerbacks in the league.

That was the moment when Sherman told himself on the field it was time for him to end his pro career.

Sherman on how Smith showed him it was time for him to retire

“DeVonta must’ve run this comeback. I had him under control, I was like, bam, quick jam, easy, had him under control.

He must’ve stopped and I tried to stop and my whole groin said, ‘Snap, snap, snap, snap,’ and I said, ‘Whoa, whoa.' Then you’re trying to guard and chasing him around and you’re like please don’t throw him the ball, please.

My coach is looking at me on the sideline like, ‘Hey, you wanna come out, you wanna come out?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, but they’re in a hurry-up,’ so I’m like bailing out. At that moment I was like yeah, this is probably my last year.

I don’t got it for these young dudes right here,” Sherman said on his podcast. Sherman, who was a fifth-round pick in 2011, went on to have a very successful NFL career. In his 11 seasons in the NFL, Sherman won a Super Bowl - made five Pro Bowls - was voted three times a First-Team All-Pro cornerback. Also, Sherman led the NFL in interceptions during the 2013 season.