Former NFL Player Richard Sherman Receives Deferred Prosecution in DUI Case

Former All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman has received a deferred prosecution in his DUI case, a spokesperson with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office told ESPN's Brady Henderson.

Sherman was arrested on suspicion of DUI in February of 2024 and was charged in June after being pulled over for speeding. A blood test showed Sherman had a blood alcohol level of around 0.11 when he was arrested, above the legal limit of 0.08.

According to Henderson, Sherman's attorney requested a deferred prosecution from a King County District Court judge on Tuesday. A deferred prosecution suspends a charge in exchange for the defendant agreeing to meet certain court requirements.

In the state of Washington, if a defendant requests a deferred prosecution, they "must state that their conduct was the result of a substance use disorder or a mental problem and agree to two years of treatment," according to Henderson. If the terms of agreement are met, court does not proceed with charges. The defendant appears before a bench trial to determine guilt if the terms are not met.

Henderson noted that a deferred prosecution comes with a five-year probationary period in Washington, and it counts as a prior offense in future DUI prosecutions.

Sherman was previously arrested and charged with five misdemeanors in July 2021 after he allegedly drove his SUV into a closed construction site, left the scene and tried to gain entry into his wife's parents' home.

Sherman was a five-time Pro Bowler and earned three All-Pro nods during his 11-year NFL career. He was apart of the Seattle Seahawks Legion of Boom defense, which won a Super Bowl in 2013. He retired in 2021 and has served as an analyst for Amazon Prime's broadcasts of Thursday Night Football since 2022.