Former Seahawks Star Says Richard Sherman Belongs in the Hall of Fame

Tyler Lockett believes his former teammate, Richard Sherman, belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Seattle Seahawks CB Richard Sherman gestures to an official after a penalty against the Tennessee Titans. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A fifth-round pick out of Stanford in 2011, Richard Sherman is one of the greatest draft steals in Seattle Seahawks' history. Sherman spent seven seasons with the franchise and helped them become one of the most dominant defenses in the league.

Known as The Legion of Boom, the Seahawks put a roster together that teams around the league attempted to duplicate and Sherman was the central figure. His size (6-foot-3, 195 pounds) gave opposing wideouts fits and his confidence and energy was contagious. During his time with Seattle, Sherman had 368 tackles, 99 pass deflections, 32 interceptions, and five forced fumbles.

Sherman signed with the San Francisco 49ers ahead of the 2018 season, spending three years with the Seahawks' NFC West rival. He played one final campaign in 2021 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before retiring.

Does Richard Sherman belong in the Hall of Fame?

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman reacts after recording an interception against the San Francisco 49ers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the 2026 Hall of Fame class being inducted this weekend, the attention has turned to the 2027 class, which Sherman is eligible for. His inclusion will be a hot topic given his polarizing personality, but former teammate Tyler Lockett doesn't believe it should be a question.

Lockett, who spent a decade with the Seahawks from 2015-2024, made his feelings clear by responding to a poll on X asking whether Sherman belongs in the Hall of Fame, saying: "For sure should be in Hall Of Fame."

It's hard to disagree with Lockett, and not just because Sherman was a five-time Pro-Bowler and five-time All-Pro who led the league in interceptions in 2013. The real reason Sherman belongs is that you can't tell the story of the NFL without the Legion of Boom, who helped Seattle win a Super Bowl following the 2013 season and nearly pulled off a second the year after. The Legion dominated the league for several years and Sherman was the leader of the group, which is why he belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Just how good was Richard Sherman?

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman participates in pregame warmups against the Kansas City Chiefs. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Seattle fans know how rare of a talent Sherman is, but it's easy to forget just how elite he was.

Seahawks On SI's Michael Hanich wrote about Sherman's dominance during his prime, noting that no cornerback from 2006-24 matched Sherman's passer rating allowed numbers across three different three-year spans between 2011 and 2015.

Opposing quarterbacks knew it was a risk to test Sherman and he made them pay whenever they dared to do so. He changed the Seattle defense for the better and to this day they're striving to get back to the level he brought them to.

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