Drew Brees doesn’t understand the media frenzy surrounding Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman’s epic trash-talking rant earlier this month about San Francisco 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree after beating the team in the NFC Championship.
“I think they probably built that up a bit more than they needed to,” the New Orleans Saints quarterback told David Letterman during an interview (above) on Wednesday’s “Late Show.”
Letterman brought up the topic by taking a dig at the media’s excessive coverage of the 18-second soundbite that is still being talked about as Sherman’s Seahawks prepare to face off against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII on Sunday. The comedian boiled down the entire uproar to “nothing,” before calling out New York City press for trying to turn it into something.
“I thought it was interesting. He comes to New York City, and the press covering the arrival of the team was disappointed that he wasn’t this slobbering, drooling, spitting maniac getting off the bus. He was mild mannered and happy to be here, so they just said this is no fun,” Letterman said. “They want him to be crazy, and then if you’re too crazy they don’t want him to be too crazy, but they really would rather he was crazy.”
Brees called Sherman a smart guy, and said that the media zeroed in on him because “they just caught him at a bad moment.”
“He’s an outspoken guy,” Brees explained. “I’ve only played against him twice, but the two times we were up there this year, he’s hyping up the crowd, he’s jawin’. That’s just his personality. I think that’s just the way he plays. Some guys are like that.”
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Sherman has said he regrets boasting about his dominance over Crabtree, and admitted the verbal attack was “immature.” The media’s reaction, however, was “really mind-boggling” and “kind of sad,” according to Sherman.