Richard Sherman made some headlines late last night when Michael Silver of NFL Network reported the details of a discussion with the San Francisco 49ers cornerback. Sherman said Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield provided added motivation when he snubbed the 49ers by not shaking players' hands when the team captains met at midfield for the coin toss before the game.
"What's amazing, and annoying, was him not shaking hands at the beginning," Sherman told Silver. "That's some college s---. It's ridiculous. We're all trying to get psyched up, but shaking hands with your opponent -- that's NFL etiquette. And when you pull bush-league stuff, that's disrespectful to the game. And believe me, that's gonna get us fired up."
Then this video from Jake Trotter of ESPN emerged.
So Richard Sherman claims Baker Mayfield refused to shake his hand at the coin toss. This video seems to indicate otherwise: pic.twitter.com/4CgOsLKLPL
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) October 8, 2019
That certainly looks like Mayfield shaking the hands of Sherman and DeForest Buckner, and even hugging tight end George Kittle.
So what's the deal?
Albert Breer of The MMQB wondered the same thing and reached out to Sherman for a comment. The 49ers cornerback offered up an explanation, this time, seemingly saying it was something else that Mayfield did that angered the 49ers.
Of course, we assume Breer asked the real Sherman, and not the fake account mentioned in his tweet below.
Asked @R_Sherman25 about the video out there.
He said it was Baker Mayfield darting away after the toss that angered the Niners: "That's it. They are making way too big of a story of a blowout. He pissed us off. We put a foot in his ass. End of story."
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 8, 2019
But maybe it was a handshake snub and not something else, and it potentially occurred after the handshakes on display in the video above.
Andrew Siciliano and Silver discussed the video on NFL Network, and the latter stands by his story. Siciliano points out that the video doesn't necessarily portray what Sherman was angry about.
"It is alleged that Baker didn't shake hands," Siciliano said. "He did, and he didn't, it seems."
"The players come to midfield, and right there, they shook hands," Siciliano adds while the video is playing. "He shook Sherm's hand. This is before the coin toss. Mike, he did not shake hands after the coin toss. Mayfield ran away, OK? And a couple of the Browns did, as well. So, he's upset they did not shake hands after the coin toss a second time."
.@AndrewSiciliano, with @MikeSilver on @nflnetwork, explains why @RSherman_25 was upset about a snub after a video emerges of Baker Mayfield shaking the CB's hand. pic.twitter.com/DrEtA8tlft
— 49ers Webzone (@49erswebzone) October 8, 2019