Skip to content

Sherman: No one cares about Bosa's social media if he can play

Michael Zagaris / Getty Images Sport / Getty

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman has no issues with Nick Bosa's past social media activity, as long as the rookie performs on the field.

It was revealed in the weeks leading up to the 2019 NFL Draft that Bosa liked pictures on Instagram containing racist and homophobic content.

"One thing about football is that nobody really cares what you say if you can play," Sherman told Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee. "At the end of the day, I think a guy that has played with African-Americans his whole life, not saying he can't be racist, but they know how to maneuver around African-Americans."

While spending most of his career with the divisional rival Seattle Seahawks, Sherman has been an avid supporter of former quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

In 2016, Bosa tweeted "Kaepernick is a clown," though he later apologized during a press conference upon being drafted.

Sherman believes Bosa's time with his new team will help him moving forward.

"When you're at Ohio State, it's not like Ohio State's an all-white school. So I don't think that’s going to ever be an issue," Sherman said. "I think, at the end of the day, your beliefs are your beliefs ... but when you're in the building and you're a football player and you're a teammate, you handle yourself accordingly. And I think he understands that."

The pass-rusher also deleted old tweets showcasing his support for President Donald Trump. He toned down his political commentary on social media heading into the draft, saying in early April that he "had to" because there was a chance he "might end up in San Francisco."

Team President Al Guido said the No. 2 overall pick was questioned during a pre-draft meeting about his social media history but it wasn't something the organization was worried about.

Sherman also doesn't believe it will be a problem in the locker room.

"It's not like something where guys are like, 'Hey man, what about what you said?' No. No. If he can play, he can play. If he can't play, he won't be here," Sherman said. "But at the end of the day, that's all that matters in football. Is he getting sacks on Sunday? Is he helping our team? Is he being a good teammate? Those are things that matter.

"Now, if he's a bad teammate, that's something we'll address."

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox