When Baker Mayfield, the Cleveland Browns' brash second-year quarterback, refused to shake Sherman's hand at midfield just before the coin toss that preceded Monday night's game at Levi's Stadium, it triggered him -- and many of his Niners teammates -- in a profound way.
It would be an exaggeration to cite Mayfield's snub of Sherman and fellow captain DeForest Buckner as the driving force behind the 49ers' 31-3 beatdown of the Browns in front of 70,042 fans and a Monday Night Football audience, but it was a topic of discussion among the Niners before, during and after the game.
"What's amazing, and annoying, was him not shaking hands at the beginning," Sherman said. "That's some college s---. It's ridiculous. We're all trying to get psyched up, but shaking hands with your opponent -- that's NFL etiquette. And when you pull bush league stuff, that's disrespectful to the game. And believe me, that's gonna get us fired up."