Richard Sherman is back in the playoffs, and so is his trash talking

Postseason Richard Sherman is back. In the 49ers’ Divisional Round game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sherman came through in a big way. With his team leading by just a touchdown, he had an interception in the third quarter that helped his team go up 24-10.

He stuck to Vikings receiver Adam Thielan like glue before stepping in front of the ball before Thielan could get to it:

Sherman was pretty happy after the play. On the sideline, he mocked Kirk Cousins’ famous “you like that?!” quote with one of his own:

He wasn’t done talking with just that line, either. After the game, Sherman threw a jab at Cousins for the pass he threw that he picked off:

The 49ers defense kept the Vikings scoreless for the rest of the day, and the 10 points Minnesota had was its lowest output since its 23-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 16. After not being targeted once in a huge Week 17 game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sherman certainly stepped up to make a play when he was targeted.

Part of the reason Cousins probably threw to Sherman was thanks to the 49ers swapping out cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon for Emmanuel Mosley. Sherman was targeted just twice on Saturday — once was on his pick, the second time Thielan had a 9-yard catch in the second quarter.

Sherman has a way of elevating both his play and his trash talk come playoff time. After the 49ers’ 27-10 win, he was pretty heated when discussing his play in the postseason:

When he was with the Seahawks from 2011 to 2017, he appeared in 12 playoff games. One of his most memorable performances came in the 2014 NFC Championship against the 49ers. He tipped a pass in the end zone that his teammate, Malcolm Smith, intercepted it to secure a 23-17 win.

Sherman then delivered this unforgettable postgame interview, in which he called out who the pass was intended for: former 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree. “I’m the best corner in the game. When you try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree, that’s the result you gonna get.”

The Seahawks went on to win the Super Bowl that year.

His first playoff appearance with the 49ers Saturday was a big game for Sherman, but it’s been an even bigger year for him as a whole.

The cornerback has had 62 total tackles on the season, and three interceptions. He finished the 2019 regular season as a Pro Bowler and a second-team All-Pro. In 2018, he negotiated his own contract with San Francisco without the help of an agent or lawyer and although he was criticized for it, it worked out for him. He ended up making an extra $3 million in incentives. He took a victory lap on Twitter after collecting that extra cash, too.

He’s solidified himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the game, if not the best. Sherman isn’t afraid to call himself that, either:

For a guy whose 2017 season ended with a torn Achilles, which partially prompted his release from the Seahawks, what he’s been able to do since then is impressive. He has established himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the league, and he just might help the 49ers win a Super Bowl if he keeps playing like he has.