Anthony Michael Sherman
(born December 11, 1988) is a former
American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
fullback. He spent the majority of his career with the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). He was drafted by the
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
in the fifth round of the
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players. Like the 2010 draft, the 2011 draft was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York C ...
. He played
college football
College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States.
Unlike most ...
at the
University of Connecticut
The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from Hart ...
(UConn). His nickname is "Sausage".
Early years
Sherman attended
North Attleboro High School
North Attleborough High School is a public high school in North Attleborough, Massachusetts, United States, educating grades 9 through 12 with over one thousand students enrolled.
History
North Attleborough High School was located in the current ...
in
North Attleboro, Massachusetts
North Attleborough, alternatively spelled North Attleboro, is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 30,834 at the 2020 United States Census.
The villages of Attleboro Falls and North Attleborough Center are ...
, where he was the team captain in
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
, track, and baseball. He was named the Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year in 2006. He was named thrice to the Attleboro Sun-Chronicle All-Star team. In
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
, he rushed for 1,202 yards and 20
touchdowns
A touchdown (abbreviated as TD) is a scoring play in gridiron football. Whether Rush (gridiron football), running, Forward pass, passing, returning a Kickoff (gridiron football), kickoff or Punt (gridiron football), punt, or recovering a Turno ...
as a senior, while also adding 100 tackles on defense. He is the school's career leader in rushing yards (2,537) and touchdowns (48). In
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
, he was a two-time All-League selection.
In
track & field
Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...
, Sherman served as the team captain and competed in the sprinting and throwing events. In sprints, he recorded times of 6.98 seconds in the
55-meter dash 55 metres is a sprint event in track and field. It is a relatively uncommon non-championship event for indoor track and field. The history of the event lies in the 60-yard dash, which is about 5 inches shorter than 55 metres. Since the 1960s almos ...
and 12.19 seconds in the
100-meter dash
The 100 metres, or 100-meter dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contest ...
. As a thrower, he competed in the
shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" (throwing) a heavy spherical ball—the ''shot''—as far as possible. The shot put competition for men has been a part of the modern Olympics since their revival in 1896, and women's ...
and got a top-throw of 15.48 meters.
Coming out of high school, Sherman was rated a 3-star recruit by Rivals and 247 Sports. He received only two Division 1 scholarship offers, from
UConn
The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from Ha ...
and
Boston College
Boston College (BC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Founded in 1863, the university has more than 9,300 full-time undergraduates and nearly 5,000 graduate students. Although Boston College is classifie ...
. He ultimately decided to commit to play for the
University of Connecticut
The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from Hart ...
on February 7, 2007.
College career
As a freshman in 2007, Sherman immediately became the starting fullback for the UConn Huskies and was the lead blocker for
Donald Brown, the 2008
Big East Offensive Player of the Year
The Big East Conference gave five football awards at the conclusion of every season. The awards were first given in 1991 following the conference's first football season, and last given in 2012 before the conference was restructured as the American ...
.
As a sophomore in 2008, Sherman had his best year statistically. He had three carries for 9 yards, had 26 receptions for 270 yards, and 13 tackles on special teams.
In his junior and senior seasons, Sherman was elected team captain and was the lead blocker for fellow Massachusetts native,
Jordan Todman
Jordan Todman (born February 24, 1990) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Connecticut. Todman has also played for the Minne ...
, who was the 2010
Big East Offensive Player of the Year
The Big East Conference gave five football awards at the conclusion of every season. The awards were first given in 1991 following the conference's first football season, and last given in 2012 before the conference was restructured as the American ...
and an ESPN All-American. Sherman scored his first collegiate touchdown during his senior season.
During his collegiate career, Sherman rushed for 61 yards on 17 carries, caught 48 passes for 477 yards and a touchdown, and had 63 total tackles.
Professional career
Arizona Cardinals
Sherman was drafted by the
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
in the fifth round, 136th overall, of the
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players. Like the 2010 draft, the 2011 draft was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York C ...
. In his rookie season, he had eight receptions for 72 yards. In the 2012 season, he had five receptions for 39 yards.
Kansas City Chiefs
Sherman was traded to the
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
on May 1, 2013 in exchange for cornerback
Javier Arenas. On October 27, 2013, Sherman caught a touchdown pass from
Alex Smith
Alexander Douglas Smith (born May 7, 1984) is an American former quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He played college football at Utah, where he received first-team All-American honors and won the 20 ...
against the
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference ( ...
. Overall, he finished the 2013 season with 18 receptions for 155 yards and a touchdown. In the
Wild Card Round against the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
, he recorded a five-yard receiving touchdown in the 45–44 loss. Sherman signed a contract extension with the Chiefs on November 5, 2014. Overall, he finished the 2014 season with 10 receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown. In the 2015 season, he only had four receptions for 34 yards but did appear in all 16 games.
In the 2016 season, Sherman appeared in all 16 games, of which he started three. He totaled four receptions for 11 yards. On September 17, 2017, in Week 2 against the
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays ...
, he recovered a fumble on a
Darren Sproles
Darren Lee Sproles (born June 20, 1983) is an American football executive and former running back and return specialist who is a personnel consultant for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football a ...
punt return. In the last week of the 2017 season, Sherman scored his first rushing touchdown of his NFL career. He scored up the middle against the
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
on a 14-carry, 40-yard performance. Overall, he finished the 2017 season with six receptions for 40 yards in addition to the 14 carries for 40 yards.
On March 12, 2018, Sherman signed a one-year contract extension with the Chiefs. In the Chiefs' 2018 season opener against the
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division, and ...
, he recorded a 36-yard receiving touchdown in the 38–28 victory.
On March 22, 2019, Sherman signed a one-year $1.02 million contract extension with the Chiefs, and won an NFL championship in
Super Bowl LIV
Super Bowl LIV was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2019 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Kansas City Chiefs defeated the National Football Conferenc ...
with the team.
On April 6, 2020, Sherman signed a one-year contract with the Chiefs. Following the release of long-time Chiefs punter
Dustin Colquitt
Dustin Farr Colquitt (born May 6, 1982) is an American football punter who is a free agent. He played college football at Tennessee and was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. With the Chiefs, he won Sup ...
in the 2020 offseason, Sherman became tied with
Travis Kelce
Travis Michael Kelce (; born October 5, 1989) is an American football tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft and later won Super Bowl LIV ...
and
Eric Fisher as the longest tenured members of the Chiefs. On October 13, 2020, he was placed on the reserve/
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
list after being exposed to someone who tested positive for
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. He would eventually test positive himself. He was activated on November 4.
Sherman announced his retirement on March 4, 2021.
NFL career statistics
Regular season
Postseason
Personal life
Sherman is married to Jessica Sherman. They have three children together. Sherman is a
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
.
Sherman and his wife, Jessica, have partnered with the child sponsorship and Christian humanitarian aid organization
Compassion International
Compassion International is an American child sponsorship and Christian humanitarian aid organization headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, that aims to positively influence the long-term development of children globally who live in pover ...
for various initiatives.
Controversy
When speaking on the NFL's requirements for players during the
2021 season for players not vaccinated against
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, Sherman generated controversy. The league had required unvaccinated players to wear a wristband. Those wristbands, Sherman compared to
segregation Segregation may refer to:
Separation of people
* Geographical segregation, rates of two or more populations which are not homogenous throughout a defined space
* School segregation
* Housing segregation
* Racial segregation, separation of humans ...
on his Twitter account. He tweeted "The @NFL is making players wear colored wrist bands now based on vaccination status. Funny, I thought we all agreed on the evils of segregation back in the 60s. Here we are again- only this time it’s based on personal health choices instead of skin color". He followed that tweet up with another one saying "The league clearly values being woke, not awake. What a shame. And what a sham". The tweets received primarily mixed reactions.
References
External links
Connecticut Huskies bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sherman, Anthony
1988 births
Living people
People from North Attleborough, Massachusetts
Players of American football from Massachusetts
American football fullbacks
UConn Huskies football players
Arizona Cardinals players
Kansas City Chiefs players
American Conference Pro Bowl players