The question arose seven years ago this month, buried deep in coach Pete Carroll's media session following a 34-12 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. It was the 23rd question out of 25, sandwiched between queries about backup quarterbacks Josh Portis and Tarvaris Jackson.
How had Richard Sherman played in his first NFL start?
Carroll, then in his second season as the Seattle Seahawks' coach, had just witnessed the birth of the now-legendary Legion of Boom secondary, except no one knew it then. The coach explained that Sherman had played quite well.