“Winning the cover is a kid’s dream come true,” Sherman said. “I would never be in the position without my fellow Legion of Boom members and teammates.”
Sherman and Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton were the finalists in the online voting at ESPN.com. Sherman becomes the second Seahawks player to grace the cover. Running back Shaun Alexander had the honor in 2007.
Sherman is only the third defensive player to make the cover, joining Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis in 2005 and Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu, who shared the 2010 cover with Arizona wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
At age 26, Sherman is starting his fourth NFL season out of Stanford. He is widely regarded as the best cornerback in the game and was selected to the past two Pro Bowls. Since entering the league in 2011, Sherman has more interceptions (20) and more passes defensed (60) than any other player.