The Washington State Patrol reports that former NFL player Richard Sherman was taken into custody early on Saturday morning on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
Trooper Jordan Hazzard-Thomas, who assisted in responding to the traffic stop, stated in a probable cause statement that when speaking with Sherman, he smelled “the odor of intoxicants” and noted that Richard Sherman’s eyes were “bloodshot and watery.”
Emails were sent on Saturday to an attorney who has previously represented Richard Sherman as well as a representation Sherman has identified on social media sites, asking for comments on his arrest. Sherman is anticipated to appear in court on Monday, according to a statement from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Throughout his 11-year NFL career, Sherman—a three-time All-Pro cornerback—aided the Seattle Seahawks in winning the 2013 Super Bowl. He was selected in 2020 to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s All-Decade Team of the 2010s, making him one of the best defensive players of his age.
Richard Sherman Journey: From NFL Star to Analyst and Legal Woes
Richard Sherman played seven seasons in Seattle and then three in San Francisco. In addition, he played for Stanford University’s team and Tampa Bay. He was employed as a football analyst more recently.
In Seattle in 2022, Richard Sherman entered a guilty plea to two misdemeanor counts related to a drunk driving incident and a domestic dispute the previous year. He also acknowledged that he had broken the law by speeding in an area where there was road work.
The NFL revealed on Friday that the salary ceiling for each club in 2024 would reach a record $255.4 million. This is a startling 13.6 percent increase over the cap from the previous season and an indication that the league is about to enter a new stage of rapidly rising income.
The wage cap for each club this season will be $30.6 million more than it was for the previous season ($224.8 million), which is by far the biggest increase from one season to the next since the salary cap was first implemented in 1994.
One of the NFL’s stated explanations for the significant rise in 2024 cap numbers was “an extraordinary increase in media revenue.” It has been believed that 2024 and 2025 will be the first years in which the increased TV money will truly have a notable influence on league earnings since the league inked new arrangements with its broadcast partners in 2021.
That is what Friday’s news suggests. Major ceiling rises are probably in store over the next few years, given the anticipated continued impact of the television rights negotiations. From 2013 to 2020, the NFL’s pay cap increased by an estimated $10 million to $12 million per year. Due to anticipated income losses from the pandemic, the ceiling decreased by over $17 million (from $198.2 million to $182.5 million) in 2021. However, it increased again to $208.2 million in 2022 and $224.8 million in 2023.