Richard Sherman Doesn't 'Really Have a Relationship' with Russell Wilson

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman, who won two NFC titles and a Super Bowl as a member of the Seattle Seahawks from 2011-2017, spoke about his relationship (or lack thereof) with ex-teammate and current Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson in a Thursday press conference:

On Sunday, Sherman will face his old team for the first time since signing a three-year deal worth up to $39 million with the 49ers.

The 2013 Seahawks went down as one of the better teams in the modern era as they crushed the Denver Broncos, 43-8, in Super Bowl XLVIII. The Seahawks secondary, otherwise known as the Legion of Boom, formed the identity of a team that allowed just 14.4 points per game, which was No. 1 in the NFL. Seattle finished 16-3, including the postseason.

The following year ended with a return trip to the Super Bowl, but a controversial play call that ended with a Wilson interception in the end zone capped a disappointing 28-24 defeat to the New England Patriots.

The team has not found the same success since, and some issues bubbled to the surface. Of note, Greg Bishop and Robert Klemko wrote a Sports Illustrated article in September detailing the conflict behind closed doors. Per Bishop and Klemko:

"A dozen sources with direct knowledge of the Seahawks’ internal dynamics who spoke to Sports Illustrated this summer also pointed to a locker room they contend had fractured last season, with private spats spilling into public view and a rift deepening between those who supported Wilson and those who felt the coaches held him to a different standard."

Bishop and Klemko also mentioned an incident first surfaced by Seth Wickersham of ESPN.com, in which Sherman reportedly picked off Wilson in a 2014 preseason practice and yelled, "You f--king suck."

After the alleged incident, Bishop and Klemko noted "several players who spoke to SI said Carroll gathered his offensive and defensive leaders and told them they needed to protect Wilson, to treat him more gently than they would their other teammates." That was not well-received by some members of the team.

Regardless of what put an end to the Legion of Boom in Seattle, the Seahawks' dominance in the 2013 season was phenomenal, and Sherman and Wilson both played big parts. The fact that they don't have a relationship isn't nearly as important as the duo's permanent place in NFL history and their new paths with their respective teams.