One of the most memorable (and heartbreaking) postseason losses in San Francisco 49ers history stemmed from the 2014 NFC Championship game defeat at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks.
And it was made worse by then-Hawks cornerback Richard Sherman, who didn't hesitate to call out Niners wide receiver Michael Crabtree as a ""sorry-ass receiver" to Fox Sports' Erin Andrews after the game.
That media clip alone lives forever in San Francisco infamy.
Sherman, never one to withhold what's on his mind, nevertheless seemed a bit out of character ripping Crabtree to such an extreme extent, which has prompted fans and analysts alike to truly gauge what exactly happened that led to such a level of beef.
Well, Sherman gave his side of the story. And, if true, it makes a lot of sense.
Richard Sherman opens up on his personal beef with Michael Crabtree
The eventual 49ers Pro Bowl cornerback showed up on the Closed on Sundays with Pat and Terrion podcast where he was asked about the roots of his incident with Crabtree after the conference championship game over 10 years ago.
Sherman described how Arizona Cardinals legendary wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald used to host offseason softball games where plenty of players from around the league would show up, often carrying their on-field grudges and intensity toward each other.
According to Sherman, though, Crabtree's comments went a little too far.
Richard Sherman & Michael Crabtree's beef went WAY beyond the football field 😳
— Closed on Sundays with Pat and Terrion (@closedsundaypod) December 10, 2025
"He start talking like, 'You lucky we at this event or I'd put hands on you' type s**t." pic.twitter.com/UfD3nOO0As
Initially, Crabtree said he'd go off against Sherman when the Niners and Hawks faced each other, to which the cornerback said, "it's easier said than done." Apparently, that irritated Crabtree even more.
"You're lucky we're at this event, or I put hands on you," Sherman subsequently quoted Crabtree as saying.
If that's truly the case, threatening physical violence outside of the norms associated with a game, then one might conclude Sherman justified in his postgame outburst directed at San Francisco's receiver.
It's ironic, too, since Sherman is now regarded as a beloved former member of the 49ers, whereas Crabtree has long fallen out of Niners fans' adoration.
Sadly, it still doesn't remove the pain San Francisco fans feel from that particular game.
Hat tip to Mike Masala of Niners Wire for the find.