Richard Sherman joins Amazon TNF team as the streaming service prepares for its NFL debut

Former Seattle Seahawks cornerback and future Hall of Famer Richard Sherman has officially joined Amazon’s Thursday Night Football production as an analyst.

Sherman will join Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez as the two formally announced analysts for the Thursday night pregame, halftime and postgame broadcasts. Ryan Fitzpatrick reportedly will be added as well, and Fox’s Charissa Thompson will reportedly host.

“This is a phenomenal idea,” Gee Scott said on the Gee and Ursula Show on KIRO Newsradio. “Richard Sherman has a way of talking about football that makes it so simplistic. I promise you guys he’s a genius. He’s the reason why my son switched from wide receiver to tight end in the way he talks about the game, the way he talks about the future of the game, and where it’s heading. He is going to be amazing on Amazon.”

This is the latest move by Amazon to build a highly-touted media team to cover the National Football League (NFL). Earlier this year, Amazon and the NFL entered an 11-year contract, making Amazon Prime the exclusive home to Thursday Night Football. This is the first time the NFL has been locked behind a subscription service.

Last offseason, Sherman faced several charges, including one on suspicion of burglary and domestic violence, after he was arrested at his wife’s parents’ residence in Redmond, Washington.

“When you saw my video. It didn’t look bad. It looked awful. It was awful the way Richard Sherman looked on the video,” Gee said. “However, what ended up being? What ended up being the result of that. I don’t have it in front of me, what his penalty and our punishment was for that because it has been resolved.”

Sherman pleaded guilty to charges of negligent driving and criminal trespass, both misdemeanors, as well as an infraction of speeding in a construction zone. He was sentenced to two days in jail, which he had already served, and fined $1,325.

“I’m not in the public light like him, but let me go out tomorrow and get a DUI. Is that going to be talked about? Absolutely,” Gee said. “So again, there’s a lot of pressure being a little or a lot in the public eye, and you have to make decisions or respond in ways that you would probably do differently.”

With the announcement of his hiring with Amazon, Sherman made it clear he’s still not retiring from playing pro football.

“I’m still leaving that door open as long as I can,” Sherman said during an interview with NFL Network. With the Thursday Night Football schedule running until Dec. 19, Sherman could potentially be a free agent for a playoff team.

“There’s an audience for Richard Sherman and we’re gonna get it,” Gee said.

“I’d much rather watch Richard on the broadcast than Peyton and his brother,” responded Andrew Lanier, the producer of the Gee and Ursula Show.

Listen to Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin weekday mornings from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.