Ex-Seahawks Richard Sherman, Frank Clark Basking in Super Bowl Limelight

While the Seahawks sit at home preparing to make a run in 2020, Sherman and Clark have made the most of their change of scenery and will be vying for a Lombardi Trophy with their new teams in Miami.

The Seahawks won’t be playing in Super Bowl LIV, but for better or worse, fans will have a chance to root for two former defensive standouts who once resided in the Pacific Northwest and will be playing starring roles for their new teams in Miami.

Ex-Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman and defensive end Frank Clark officially punched their tickets to the Super Bowl on Sunday, their third and first appearances in the NFL’s marquee event respectively. Next, the one-time teammates will be battling each other for a Lombardi Trophy on February 2.

At one point, Sherman and Clark were cornerstones of one of the league’s best defenses in Seattle, playing together from 2015 to 2017. But the NFL functions as a business first and foremost, which led to the departure of both players amid vastly different circumstances.

Known for his brashness as much as his signature “The Tip” play that vaulted the Seahawks to the Super Bowl in January 2014, Sherman spent his first seven seasons with the Seahawks. He played in five Pro Bowls and earned First-Team All-Pro distinction twice, putting together a Hall of Fame worthy resume after entering the league as an unheralded fifth-round pick out of Stanford.

Unfortunately, Sherman’s time in Seattle ended on a sour note. He ruptured his Achilles tendon during a Thursday night game against Arizona in November 2017 and landed on season-ending injured reserve. Unwilling to pay him north of $11 million coming off a severe injury, the team released him in March 2018.

Wasting little time finding his next team, Sherman negotiated his own three-year contract with the 49ers and returned to form, earning his sixth Pro Bowl selection this season and reestablishing himself as one of the game’s best cornerbacks.

As for Clark, he came through with a career year in 2018, posting 13.0 sacks to lead the Seahawks and set himself up nicely for a lucrative extension. Even after general manager John Schneider slapped the franchise tag on him last March, both sides claimed to have interest in a long-term deal.

But with Seattle only possessing four draft picks and working on extensions for quarterback Russell Wilson and linebacker Bobby Wagner, Schneider decided to shop Clark. Shortly before the 2019 NFL Draft, he was dealt to the Chiefs in exchange for a first-round pick and a 2020 second-round pick, eventually agreeing to a five-year, $101 million deal to finalize the trade.

While Seattle has continued to win without them, the players have gotten the last laugh with a change of scenery. Sherman had one of his finest seasons in 2019, leading San Francisco’s stingy defense with three interceptions and 11 passes defensed, while Clark registered 8.0 sacks in the regular season and has 4.0 sacks in the last two playoff games for Kansas City.

Though fans may lament the decision to move on from both stars, the Seahawks do have a budding star cornerback of their own in Shaquill Griffin and the Clark traded yielded much-needed flexibility in last year’s draft, helping the team land receiver DK Metcalf and five other players. The future remains bright for the franchise.

For this particular season, however, fans will have to settle for choosing between Sherman and Clark as prime rooting interests in the big game. Given the team Sherman plays for, you can expect most Seahawks supporters will be pulling for the Chiefs to win their first title in 50 years.