On Sunday, the NFL will return to Los Angeles. The Seattle Seahawks will take on the Los Angeles Rams. One visiting player– Richard Sherman — is excited for the NFL’s return to the City of Angels.
It’s not because it will make travel easier for his Seahawks. It’s not even that one road game a year against the Rams will give Sherman a chance to play in front of his hometown fans, friends and family.
No, it’s that playing in Los Angeles, the Rams’ players will now have a chance to step out and help in communities like Sherman’s home of Compton, similar to what Sherman and his Seahawks teammates have done in Seattle. He looks forward to seeing what kind of impact the Rams’ players will have in Los Angeles.
“The Rams are a division rival. I’m trying to destroy them twice a year — three times if we see them in the playoffs,” Sherman said in a piece he wrote for the Players’ Tribune. “But when those guys step off the field and into my community and start trying to make a difference, they’ll become family. That’s my home — where I’m from — and it’s their adopted NFL home. So we share that. We may be on opposite sides on Sunday, but when it comes to lifting up the great city of Los Angeles and making it even greater, I’ll be right there with them, helping in any way I can.”
Sherman is obviously a star on the field. His words often make him an unpopular player, particularly with visiting fans. But one thing that’s clear about Sherman is that he does stand up and help out those less fortunate.
Sherman has definitely made the best of his good fortune. He came from a two parent home. Unfortunately, as he as he detailed, that’s fairly rare in places like Compton. He had the intelligence, grades, work ethic and football skills to get into Stanford. Once there, Sherman did well enough to get drafted. As we’ve seen, he’s starred in the NFL for nearly his entire career.
Sherman knows how important it is not have a role model. Many of the kids he’s worked with come from even tougher situations than what he experienced. He’s been phenomenal at being that role model.
Now, the star cornerback is clearly excited about the chance for those same kids to have a team to follow. Los Angeles is one of the biggest cities in the country. As such, the Los Angeles area produces an abundance of NFL players every year. Chances are, Sherman is not alone in his excitement.