WASHINGTON — Richard Sherman likes to talk.
Apparently, Washington offensive tackle Trent Williams didn’t want to listen.
After Seattle’s win over the Redskins — a chippy game that included trash talking from both teams leading up to the contest, Williams approached Sherman at midfield.
But instead of the customary handshake, Williams, who kept his helmet on, greeted Sherman with an open-handed slap to the face.
Sherman said that Williams came up to him and told him he was going to take a swing at him.
“Then swing,” Sherman said. “He thought I was going to be scared. I’m not scared of him.”
Williams followed through with his threat, hitting Sherman with an open hand before a Seahawks team employee stepped in to break things up.
Seattle receivers coach Kippy Brown pulled Sherman away from Williams as the Seattle cornerback waved goodbye to him.
“You know, it’s the playoffs — everybody gets a little frustrated,” Sherman said. “If you lose, your season is over. You want to keep advancing. It was a frustration play — I guess is what you can call it. But you never kind of want to be involved in that. I wasn’t looking for anything. I was trying to shake hands, and that’s how it happens sometimes.”
Sherman finished without a tackle, as Washington stayed away from his side of the field most of the day.
Williams apologized in the locker room while talking with reporters.
“Just high emotions man, and you know I let them get the best of me,” Williams said. “It’s nobody’s fault but mine. I got to calm down a little bit. It is just when you lose a game like this with high intensity, you are on edge and I reacted in an immature manner.
“I am taught better than that, just got to be better. It takes a big man to walk away and next time I just have to be a bigger man.”
Sherman later sent out a Tweet after hearing from Williams.
“Received a very classy text from @TrentW71. Great player! This is an emotional game no ill will either way. Have a great Pro Bowl! Well deserved,” Sherman tweeted.
Meanwhile, Seattle fullback Michael Robinson and Washington cornerback DeAngelo Hall smoothed things over after a heated exchange last year at CenturyLink Field during the coin toss.
“I talked to him sometime in the first quarter,” Robinson said. “And he said, ‘Aw man you know you had it wrong at the coin toss,’ and things like that. And I said ‘You’re not going to come to the C-Link and disrespect.’ He dapped me up, and it was all good.”
Clemons, Hauschka injured
The Seahawks could be without defensive end Chris Clemons for the remainder of the playoffs.
The team’s sack leader suffered a left knee injury in the second half and did not return.
The league’s web site reported that Clemons suffered an ACL tear. However, Clemons’ agent Donal Henderson said that Clemons will have an MRI this morning, and the extent of his injury still is unknown.
Seattle head coach Pete Carroll said that Steven Hauschka suffered a calf injury during the game that limited the kicker to just field goal attempts, with punter Jon Ryan taking over kickoff duties.
“You could see him limping out there,” Carroll said. “But he made good kicks out there when we needed him.”
Browner’s back
In his first game action since returning from a four-game suspension for a banned substance, Seahawks cornerback Brandon Browner finished with four tackles and a pass deflection.
Browner gave up a 30-yard completion to Pierre Garcon early, but otherwise played solid in his return
“I thought I was all right,” Browner said. “My feet weren’t under me a couple times. My nerves were kind of getting to me because I hadn’t played in four weeks.
“But I thought I played well though. I played my style of ball. I played physical, and that’s what I wanted to do today.”
Extra points
Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson and Robinson had a homecoming of sorts at FedEx Field. Both players grew up in nearby Richmond, Va., about 100 miles south of Washington D.C. Wilson said he went back to his hometown to see family and friends during his off time this weekend. “It was really spectacular to play in front of a lot of my family and friends,” Wilson said. “It was really tremendous, and to come out with a huge win, my first playoff game as a rookie against a great football team, that was awesome.” … Receiver Deon Butler, safety Winston Guy, cornerback DeShawn Shead, linebacker Allen Bradford, defensive tackle Jaye Howard and offensive linemen Rishaw Johnson and Mike Person were inactive for the game for Seattle. … The Seahawks finished just 1-of-6 in red zone efficiency. … Linebacker Bobby Wagner led the Seahawks with a combined nine tackles, while Washington linebacker London Fletcher led Washington in tackles with 15.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
