Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback, Ahkello Witherspoon joined the T.O. & Hatch Getcha Popcorn Ready Podcast on FUBO Sports Network Thursday afternoon. The podcast is available on most major platforms, or you can watch it on YouTube here. Witherspoon spent nearly an hour with the Hall of Famer Terrell Owens and his long-time friend, fellow NFL receiver Matthew Hatchette. The Steelers prospective lead cornerback gave some valuable insight on his time in the NFL and the advice he received from perennial Pro Bowler, Richard Sherman.
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“I think just settling into the unique traits we have been blessed with. Not trying to make it look like other corners are going to make it look like," Witherspoon said. "That’s something I had to learn to understand 'cause other people want it to look like Richard Sherman. But Richard Sherman is the one who told me, 'you’ll never look like me. You have better feet than me. You have better hips than me.' So it’s going to look a little different than what he does.”
Witherspoon was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers and was traded to the Steelers for a 2022 5th round draft selection. Witherspoon, like Sherman is a big cornerback at 6 foot 2 inches tall and 195 pounds. Sherman is also a big cornerback at 6 foot 3 inches tall and 195 pounds who has played a physical style that saw him reach five Pro Bowls and the Hall of Fame All-Decade Team for the 2010’s. The pair played together for three years for the 49ers where Witherspoon flashed tantalizing skills, but never quite put it all together for the 49ers.
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Owens picked up on the unique compliments paid by Sherman, after good naturedly asking, “What was it like to hear Richard Sherman say you have better feet than me, better hips than me because I played with Jerry Rice, and he never told me nothing?”
“It does a lot for a young kid. You’re just trying to find your way in this league and who you are as a player, as an athlete just growing into your body with what you can bring to the game. So just to hear that type of humility is something I wanted to replicate as well. So that’s something I share with people I am able to touch. It’s just being humble and being able to share those same efforts that were given to me.”
Witherspoon is faster than the perennial Pro Bowler and Sherman gave the 27-year-old corner credit for his natural gifts. The confidence boost that hearing a player like the Legion of Boom leader thinks that you are more naturally gifted than he is in some areas must be a tremendous confidence boost for a young player. The Steelers do not have a patent on mentoring younger players, they have just perfected it. But given his recent personal struggles, it is good to hear Sherman portrayed in a positive light as a mentor by Witherspoon.
Matthew Hatchette asked Witherspoon, now that he is six years into a career and a veteran, "who are some of the guys you are looking that you could be me, a little Witherspoon?"
"There’s dudes on the Steelers, Justin Layne, James Pierre, guys that I have touched when I showed up. Any young guy that comes in, I make a conscious effort to give them everything I know and just kind of be an open book. Cause you don’t know where they are going to take it and then you take it a note from them. At the end of the day, it’s only going to make you better as a person.”
(Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
Witherspoon seemed to settle into his game in Pittsburgh when he found the field against the Minnesota Vikings in the near miracle comeback on Monday Night Football this past season. He cemented himself as the starting cornerback and will fill the role Joe Haden has occupied for the last few seasons for the black and gold as the lead cornerback for the Steelers defense.
Witherspoon’s praise of Layne and Pierre is encouraging and his extra work with them could pay big dividends for the Steelers in dime packages. Layne and Pierre, like Witherspoon, have been inconsistent to start their careers, but both have substantial physical gifts which make their struggles a disappointment to Steeler Nation as a whole. No matter what happens with those two players, Witherspoon’s desire to be a mentor fits in perfectly with the Steeler way.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Is Witherspoon ready to assume the role as the top cornerback for the Steelers? Please comment below or follow me on Twitter @thebubbasq.
