Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman twisted in midair, contorting his lanky frame to swat San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's touchdown pass attempt away from wide receiver Michael Crabtree.
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The ball bounced into the air and linebacker Malcolm Smith corralled it in the end zone. Game over. Super Bowl-bound Seahawks 23, 49ers 17.
Following the play, Sherman tracked down Crabtree, patted the receiver on the backside and extended his hand for a handshake. Crabtree clearly took the move as a taunt, pushing Sherman in the facemask.
After the game, Sherman then verbally went after Crabtree in an interview with sideline reporter Erin Andrews.
"I'm the best corner in the game. When you try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree, that is the result you are going to get. Don't you ever talk about me," Sherman shouted.
Andrews then asked, "Who was talking about you?"
"Crabtree. Don't you open your mouth about the best, or I'm going to shut it for you really quick," Sherman screamed.
A more subdued Sherman later visited the Fox postgame set and explained what he said to Crabtree.
"I don't like people saying negative things about me, I don't like people running their mouth," Sherman said. "So I told him: 'Good game and good try, but I'm the best corner in the league.'"
Sherman said in his postgame press conference that Crabtree made a personal remark during the offseason that set him off.
The corner got the final word Sunday.
UPDATE: In a statement to ESPN's Ed Werder, Sherman said: "I apologize for attacking an individual and taking the attention away from the fantastic game by my teammates. That was not my intent."
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