San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman had one of his best NFL seasons in 2019. His 90.3 overall regular-season grade from Pro Football Focus topped NFL cornerbacks. While targeting Sherman, opposing quarterbacks owned a passer rating of just 46.8, which was the third-lowest allowed last season by NFL cornerbacks.
Sherman earned his fifth Pro Bowl selection and was named a second-team All-Pro. That's what makes his performance in Super Bowl LIV such an abnormality.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes targeted Sherman five times. The result was five completions for 72 yards, according to Pro Football Focus, which comes out to 14.4 yards per reception. Mahomes owned a passer rating of 118.8 while throwing Sherman's way.
Sherman has already acknowledged that Super Bowl LIV wasn't his best outing.
"When I'm speaking about it, I can't go back to anybody but myself," Sherman said in May. "I gave up three grabs in that game. ... I could have played better. I need to play better. …. We had a 10-point lead. We get the guy a stop, we win the game.
"So those are things you go into the offseason and know you have to correct, and you have to work hard. It pushes you to work hard. It pushes you to fight to do extra reps to make sure that you don't let the mistake happen again."
Sherman has moved past the heartbreaking loss. However, he was reminded of it on Wednesday during a video conference with reporters. The cornerback was specifically asked about the 38-yard reception he gave up to Chiefs wide receiver Sammy Watkins late in the fourth quarter of the 31-20 defeat.
"It's football. Nobody has played a perfect game yet," Sherman responded. "Honestly, it didn't bother me much, period. I went out there; I prepared the best I could. The guy made a good play.
"It is what it is. I gave up a 38-yard catch in the football game. I gave up 60 yards in the game. I'm not going to sit there and beat myself up about it like I didn't prepare hard, like I didn't go out there and put my best foot forward.
"You win some, you lose some. You live to fight another day."