Ex-NFL star Richard Sherman granted deferred prosecution in Washington DUI case

Washington state judge granted former NFL star Richard Sherman a deferred-prosecution agreement in his DUI case, allowing the charge to be suspended if he completes a two-year treatment program addressing substance-use or mental-health issues and complies with other court requirements over a five-year period. The deal also imposes a five-year probation and would count the arrest as a prior offense for any future DUI charges; if he does not meet the conditions, the case would proceed to a jury trial.

Sherman’s defense filed for deferred prosecution, and King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office confirmed to ESPN that a deal had been reached. Under Washington state law, defendants who request deferred-prosecution must attribute their conduct to a substance-use disorder or mental-health issue and agree to two years of treatment as a condition of the suspension. The arrangement is designed to address the underlying issues while allowing the case to move forward without a trial unless the terms are violated.

The underlying events trace to Sherman’s February 24, 2024, arrest, when a Washington State Patrol trooper claimed to have observed the former cornerback driving "back and forth" within his lane at speeds up to 79 mph. Police said his eyes were bloodshot, and he admitted to having two margaritas before declining a Breathalyzer test. He did participate in a field sobriety test, which was reportedly failed, leading officers to take him into custody. About two hours later, following a warrant, his blood-alcohol level was measured at 0.11, above the legal limit of 0.08, according to the Washington State Patrol crime lab.

Prosecutors brought charges in June, after the lab results were finalized and reviewed. Sherman’s legal history includes a 2021 case in which he pleaded guilty to negligent driving and criminal trespass related to an incident in which he was accused of driving into a closed construction site and fleeing the scene, and an alleged break-in at his in-laws’ Seattle home. The specifics of that prior conduct have been cited in court filings but are distinct from the current DUI matter.

Sherman, 37, is best known for his time with Seattle’s Legion of Boom, a defensive backfield that helped the Seahawks win Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. Since retiring from the NFL, he has remained in the public eye as an analyst for Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football and as a panelist on FS1’s Undisputed. The deferred-prosecution agreement marks a notable development in his ongoing legal proceedings while he continues his broadcasting career.

The defense characterized the agreement as a sign of Sherman’s commitment to addressing any issues that could have contributed to the incident. “The deferred prosecution represents Mr. Sherman’s commitment to working past any issues with alcohol or other issues that could have led to this incident,” Sherman’s attorney, Jon Fox, told TMZ Sports. “It is not a treatment program for alcoholism, but it is comprehensive. As allowed by law, the granting of the deferred prosecution represents the judge approving what has been proposed, which take five years. On successful completion and strict compliance, Mr. Sherman will have earned the dismissal of the charges.”

Officials emphasized that the deferred-prosecution arrangement does not guarantee immediate dismissal; rather, completion of the two-year treatment and adherence to all court-imposed conditions within the five-year window could result in the charges being dismissed. If Sherman fails to meet the requirements, the case would proceed to a jury trial to determine guilt on the DUI charge.