49ers CB Richard Sherman vs. Baker Mayfield and the whole handshake ordeal

At the conclusion of the San Francisco 49ers 31-3 home drilling of the Cleveland Browns, cornerback Richard Sherman was summoned to the interview room. At his post-game Q&A session with reporters, he spoke his mind about the game, and more importantly about Browns’ quarterback Baker Mayfield.

“What’s amazing, and annoying, was him not shaking hands at the beginning,” Sherman said after one question regarding Mayfield. “That’s some college s***. It’s ridiculous. We’re all trying to get psyched up, but shaking hands with your opponent -- that’s NFL etiquette. And when you pull bush league stuff, that’s disrespectful to the game. And believe me, that’s gonna get us fired up.”

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Sherman had an interception in the first quarter on a under thrown ball directed at Antonio Callaway. If Mayfield had placed a bit more air on the pass, Callaway was open and in all likelihood would have scored. But Sherman leaped into position on an all-out body stretch to snag the short pass.

Sherman was not impressed with Mayfield’s performance, as evidenced by a mere eight completions.

“He hasn’t earned anything in this league. How many games has he won? He’s acting like he was the MVP last year. If [Patrick] Mahomes did that, it would be one thing. But he would never do that, because he has too much respect for the game. And when you see a guy who doesn’t? You humble him every chance you get. Because eventually, he will have respect for the league -- or he’ll be out of it.”

Mayfield threw two interceptions and fumbled twice, losing one. All three turnovers killed otherwise nice drives. On the under thrown ball that Sherman grabbed, he stated that the Browns quarterback was under duress from defensive end Nick Bosa and hurried the throw.

“He was getting sacked, and he should have just eaten the ball. He’s throwing as he’s falling, and I’ve already broken on the ball, so there’s no reason to chuck it. That’s youth. You’ve got to eat that play and get to the next one. And he’s throwing it to Callaway -- it’s one thing if he puts it up for Odell or [Jarvis Landry], because those guys are so good they might be able to make a play. But no, he shouldn’t have thrown it.”

The embattled cornerback has had his share of criticism during his career especially when he was in the starting defensive backfield for the Seattle Seahawks. But this time, he laid out the dirt on Mayfield.

“There’s no reason for him to say and do those things, especially given how little he’s accomplished. That’s where he’s gonna have to grow up. He might get there, but he has a long way to go.”

The Browns’ schedule is certainly not a friend to the franchise as the next five games are at home against the Seahawks (4-1-0), road games at the New England Patriots (5-0-0) and Denver Broncos (1-4-0), then consecutive home games against the Buffalo Bills (4-1-0) and division rivals Pittsburgh Steelers (1-4-0).

However, the story does not end here. On Tuesday, video surfaced that Mayfield did indeed shake Sherman’s hand right before the coin flip.

On the site Morning Morning Quarterback, Sherman told them that what angered the 49ers players was the fact that Mayfield left in a hurry and not about the hand shake snub, which is what Sherman had said all along was the issue:

“That’s it. They are making way too big of a story of a blowout. He pissed us off. We put a foot in his ass. End of story.”

First it was that Mayfield did not shake his opponent’s hands during pre-game to which Sherman was all in arms about. Tuesday, social media let Sherman have it when the video surfaced and went viral.

Regardless, the front office of the Browns is not commenting and instead are preparing for the Seahawks.