“It’s a long story. In the offseason, and I don’t know what you all do because everyone is different. [former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver] Larry Fitzgerald used to have a softball game in Arizona where he’d invite a bunch of guys, a bunch of celebrities, a bunch of former players and artists; Snoop Dogg used to come, Ashanti, you know, NBA players, WNBA players, everything. And we’d play a little softball game for charity to raise money for his charity. Then he’d have a little after-event for all the sponsors. You’d shake hands, kiss babies, and then you’d go on about your day. You’d show up, and then you invite him to yours, your charity event. So everybody is showing each other love. You battle on the fields, it is what it is, but there’s a lot of respect.

“During these events, a lot of guys used to come out; guys you’d play against. Kyle Williams, who use to play on the Niners, I think Roddy [Former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Roddy White] used to come out, Julio [Former NFL wide receiver Julio Jones] came to maybe one, obviously Larry used to play. Just a bunch of guys that you’d run into. Imagine that you’re playing against some of the Packers receivers coming out and some of the Bears receivers coming out, Justin Jefferson coming out. There’s respect, but everybody understands we’re going to keep the field stuff on the field and we are going to keep it respectful here. Everyone jokes and when we get on that field again it is what it is.

“And Crab couldn’t keep it on the field. He had a couple of drinks that night, he was feeling himself—and mind you, this is a couple of years in. We’ve already played maybe five, six times. And so he was feeling like—I don’t think he’s had ever had more than 60 yards in a game that he’s played against our team in any of the games. I didn’t really think he was like that.

“And Earl [former Seahawks safety Earl Thomas] did. Earl had a lot respect for Crab. Like, a high level of respect. Because he had to play him all the time in college in the Big 12. Remember—you guys are too young—but there was a huge game between Texas Tech and Texas where Crabtree caught the game winner with two seconds to go. Like, double coverage, walkoff, real crazy. So Earl had this “this might be one of the best receivers ever” respect for him.

“So he would talk to me all the time before we played them and be like, ‘You gotta watch out for Crab man, he can take over at any time.’

“He, I don’t see the guy like that. I’m in front of him. You both know, when you step in front of a dude after 10 plays. You either think—you know what you think of him; not what he did against everybody else. I know what I feel, and I don’t feel threatened.

“So during that event, we go back to the event. We’re all sitting there, talking it up, chopping it up like a group, laughing about the game. T.O. (Terrell Owens) and Donovan McNabb had did something and T.O. got emotional about the game like it was a real game. We were shooting jokes and cracking up. And Crab is off to the side drinking, but kind of mean-mugging, like he’s plotting. Like he wants some issues, like real life issues. Not like, ‘I’m going to talk mess to you and play a football game,‘ it’s like, you want smoke-smoke.

“Eventually, he makes his way over—and we’re not even talking football, we’re talking about a bunch of other stuff—and he’s like, ‘Yeah, Sherm, you got me f**ked up. Next game I’m gonna have—watch I can’t wait until I’m back on the field. I’m gonna have seven for 150 and two tugs on you.‘

“I said, ‘Ok, aint nothing wrong with confidence, it’s easier said than done. It aint happened yet. I don’t know if you have that collectively. But you can feel how you feel.‘

“And so I leave it at that. But it was almost like that irritated him more that I was so nonchalant about it. And then he starts talking like ‘You’re lucky we’re at this event. Or’ I’d put hands on you type stuff.

“I’m like, “Hey, you know what I’m going to do? Because I aint going to fight you. I’m not going to do all of that. I make too much money to be sitting here trying to fight you. Anytime I see you on that football field, I’m going to do my best to embarrass you as much as I can. I’m going to try to ruin you.‘

“And that was the next year. So we played them twice that year and in the NFC Championship Game”