Richard Sherman Calls Anonymous Sources 'Cowards' After Reports of Discord

Responding to recent reports about strife in the Seattle Seahawks locker room, cornerback Richard Sherman said he has no use for anonymous sources in stories.

Sherman explained his stance on reports that use anonymous sources to tell a story in an interview with Seahawks Wire's Liz Mathews:

“I think sometimes, especially nowadays, with a lot of the sports journalists it's become a game of clicks. It's almost like TMZ. You know because that's the only way it works. Some people are click-baiting headlines and, you know, just trying to generate a story with a ton of anonymous sources, and a lot of—excuse my language, but—BS."

Sherman's comments come two weeks after ESPN.com's Seth Wickersham published a story in which he noted the resentment some defensive players hold toward the offense, notably quarterback Russell Wilson and particularly after the team's Super Bowl 49 loss to the New England Patriots.

One instance Wickersham noted was a practice in June 2014, four months after the Seahawks defeated the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 48, in which Sherman intercepted a pass from Wilson.

"According to witnesses, Sherman threw the ball back to Wilson and yelled, 'You f--king suck!' Another fight broke out. Sherman was cussing and yelling; Wilson seemed stunned. Pete Carroll stopped practice and would later hold a series of meetings to remind the players they needed to build each other up, not tear each other down—and that they needed to support their quarterback, further pissing off a defense that already thought the head coach went out of his way to protect him."

In an effort to try to control the message, Sherman told Mathews he will be using the Players' Tribune website because he is "not looking for an editor at the end of the day."

Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett responded to the ESPN.com article by calling it "trash" and "all gossip" that "should be on TMZ."

Wickersham defended the piece, telling PFT Live there were "people in the Seahawks building yesterday telling me how I nailed it."