An exclusive interview with Brock Sheriff

[Darkiller]

An exclusive interview with Hall of Fame QB Brock Sheriff




A former Oregon University QB, Brock Sheriff was the #12 overall selection of the San Francisco 49ers in the 2004 Draft. He played 16 seasons with the Niners, winning 10 SuperBowl titles (in 10 tries), 6 NFL MVP and 3 SuperBowl MVP awards, 11 All-League selections (including being a 9-time 1st Team QB), 5 NFL Offensive Player of the Year awards and retired as the All-time top ranked passer and the all-time leader in TD passes (525) and passing yards (61479).



Pro Football Weekly - Brock, thanks for being with us today. We know it is pretty rare for you to give interviews to the press so here goes my first question: how does it feel to be widely recognized as the greatest QB ever to play and arguably the greatest football player to ever suit up ?
Brock Sheriff - Well those things are for the media and fan discussions in sports bars right ? I know that, as a team, we have accomplished some outstanding things, winning all these SuperBowls and all...and I am gratefull that I was the face of that team success...and I guess MVP voters loved me quite a bit (laughs).



PFW - Still, what you did on the field was truely amazing and aside from being the most successful QB in the history of this game, you have also left your own mark as far as the way the QB position is played in the league.
B.S - I don't know. Really I came in and the Niners ran the West-Coast offense as everyone knows and it is a great system to be in provided you have the qualities that fit this system. I was also very lucky to follow in the footsteps of such luminaries as Joe Montana and Steve Young and they really paved the way for me on how to behave and play : showing me the way to do certain things and a be a 49er QB in the tradition of the great ones and try to be up to par with the great legacy and standards that they had set.



PFW - Your passing records seem like they will never be broken. How important are these figures to you ?
B.S - Well I would lie if I tell you that I am not concerned. But you know, records are meant to be broken so ultimately, one will throw for more yards, one for more TDs...this is why a championship is so important in a player’s career: it is because no one can ever take it away from you. It’s yours forever. So actually I feel much more grateful for the chance that I had to win 10 of these in my career. Those 10 SuperBowl rings, no one can ever comeback to get them from us.



PFW – What do you do now in life ? how do you occupy your spare time ?

B.S – Plenty of things, I am involved in a lot of charity events and I am planning on opening the Sheriff Foundation later this year. The Sheriff Foundation is meant to help ill kids complete their dreams, so this is something I really want to see be done and will be involved in heavily.



PFW – No football at all anymore ?

B.S – Well, I have no interests in coaching. It’s just not my thing. I could see myself in a team management capacity however, but the Niners’ GM job is already taken by a guy named Darkiller if I am right ? (laughs). Seriously, I still follow football very much and am still a huge 49ers fan. I’m glad they are doing so well.



PFW – Talking about the San Francisco 49ers, their current QB Eric Misner has been the NFL’s MVP three times in the past four seasons, still the team drafted a quarterback, Cris Buggelli with the #1 overall pick. How do you see this situation evolving ?

B.S – Eric is the best player in the league right now. He still has a two years left on his 49er contract and that would be crazy to switch QBs at this point, except if you want to shoot yourself in the foot and kill your SuperBowl chances. With Misner, San Francisco is a perennial contender and they’ve already won 6 SuperBowls, so why change now ?



PFW – Well, they are paying #1 pick money to Cris Buggelli so it’s doubtful he will stay on the bench long don’t you think ?

B.S – (shaking his head) I don’t see the young kid playing in the next two seasons, unless Eric is unable to play because of an injury. Time will tell.



PFW – Aside from being the General Manager of the 49ers, Darkiller is also the Paris Musketeers’ GM in the IHOF. Rumors had it that he offered you a position with the Musketeers after they drafted Mario Hudson a couple of yeas ago. Is that true ?

B.S – It is true. Dark called me and said I’d be a perfect mentor to their young QB and wanted me to come in as Quarterbacks’ coach and “special assistant” however you want to call it but I had to refuse since – as I said – I am really not intested in being a football coach.



PFW – Do you follow the IHOF much ?

B.S – Oh yeah. It’s football and pretty good football actually so I enjoy watching these league’s games very much. I’m an NFL guy though but IHOF is nice (big smile).



PFW – Brock, what is the best souvenir of your football career ?

B.S – There are so many it is very difficuly to single one out...If I have to though, I could probably single out that 2012 season when just everything clicked so well. We were absolutely unstoppable that season. Personnaly I threw for over 40 TDs and had a very high QB rating. It was one of those seasons where you know, like you REALLY know, that you are going to win no matter who you play. It was just great and we had a lot of fun every Sundays that particular year. I have fond memories of that 2012 season.



PFW – Could you have played for another team than San Francisco ?

B.S – (pauses) I don’t think so. I bleed scarlet and gold. I spent all 16 seasons of my career with the 49ers and I just can’t imagine myself one second wearing another uniform.



PFW – I mean, you never had a single contract dispute in 16 years that propelled you to maybe think about a future somewhere else ?

B.S – A couple of times, somes teams went pretty hard to try to make a trade with San Fran for me but that is about as close as I came to playing someplace else. The Niners never listened to those offers. At least from what I know and was told. (smile and laugh)



PFW – Who is the best player you have played with over the years ?

B.S – There again, so many great players....J.R Smedley, our running back, was as talented as I have seen in my life. He could do just about everything you would dream of. He is in the Hall of Fame and has a few records but I think he is kind of underapreciated a little bit because his career was cut short due to some major injuries. That’s too bad because I think if he had remained healthy throughout the course of his entire career, he would own every single NFL rushing records. He was amazing. Really, I could name plenty of guys...I was blessed to play with such great players throughout my career.



PFW – We are coming to the end of this interview, is there anything you would like to add before we conclude ?

B.S – Not really, it has been a plaisure talking with you and it did bring back some fond memories.



PFW – Thank you Brock Sheriff. We wish you all the best with the Sheriff Foundation and we certainly hope to have you back here whenever you want to talk football and everything else.

B.S – Thank you.

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