Richard Sherman on NFL Ratings Drop: ‘The League isn’t Fun Anymore’
As the NFL TV ratings continue to flounder, everyone and their brother has chimed in on the reason (or reasons) why. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, and his protests of the national anthem have received a lot of the blame, as has the 2016 Presidential Election and Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, however, has another theory.
“Because the league isn’t fun anymore,” said Sherman when asked about the dropping ratings. “Every other league, you see the players have a good time. It’s a game. This isn’t politics. This isn’t justice. This is entertainment. And they’re no longer allowing the players to entertain.”
Sherman, of course, is speaking out on Commissioner Roger Goodell’s war against player celebrations. Back in the day, touchdown celebrations were the talk of the weekend. Terrell Owen’s popcorn and Dallas Star celebrations, Joe Horn’s cell phone call, and Chad Ochocinco’s whatever he decided to do that day have millions of views on YouTube. Fans love that stuff.
This season, players get fined more for celebrating than for dirty hits. Josh Norman and Brandin Cooks both received fines for pretending to shoot a bow and arrow. Jimmy Graham’s goal post dunk has been completely outlawed. Vernon Davis was fined for throwing the ball through the uprights like a basketball.
“They’re no longer allowing the players to show any kind of personality, any kind of uniqueness, any individuality. Because they want to control the product. They want to control the messaging, etc., etc. [Goodell] hasn’t done a great job, and it’s obvious. They say we’re trying to influence kids, and that’s their biggest thing. That’s their biggest ploy is you don’t want to be a bad influence on kids…But in the same breath, you can’t say Budweiser is the official sponsor of the NFL and we’re trying to influence kids. So there’s a ton of hypocrisy, but it doesn’t matter because we don’t control it.”
Sherman is done with the NFL’s nonsense, and if the TV ratings are any indication, the fans are getting pretty tired of it too.