Super Bowl champ turned cop says NFL's 'political stances,' COVID policies drove him to retire​: 'The Lord showed me the door'

A former NFL player and Super Bowl champion said recently that the NFL's growing support for progressive politics played a major part in his decision to retire and begin a new chapter of life.

Just over two years ago, former Kansas City Chiefs fullback Anthony "Sausage" Sherman was celebrating with his teammates after winning the Super Bowl. Now, he is using his skills to fight crime and rescue sex-trafficking victims as a part-time sheriff's deputy in Bourbon County, Kansas, and a task force officer with the Department of Homeland Security's investigations unit.

When Sgt. Sean "Sticks" Larkin, host of the Law & Crime network’s "Coptales and Cocktails" podcast, asked if he missed playing in the league, Sherman replied, "I don’t."

"My goal was 10 [years]. I got 10 — and the Lord showed me the door with all of the political stances the NFL was making, the COVID policies, all of this nonsense. He was like, 'Hey, I’m going to make it easy for you. I gave you 10 and then head on down the road.' Then he opened up another door with all this law enforcement stuff and it’s been a good transition so far," Sherman explained.

Through its "Inspire Change" social justice program, the NFL has in recent years been funneling massive amounts of money to organizations that explicitly call for the defunding of police departments across the country.

Super Bowl Champ Anthony "Sausage" Sherman | Coptales & Cocktails Podcastwww.youtube.com

But the retired athlete was careful to note that his outspoken support for law enforcement didn't cause any problems in the locker room.

"I kind of had one of those, like, ‘this is who Sherman was, this who Sherman is, like, leave him alone,'" he said. "He’s going to have his opinion, and he’s not going to change his mind about it — any aspect of that. I kind of demanded — not demanded, but had a respect in the locker room, that it wasn’t, 'Oh, geez, here comes Sherman,' whatever. It was kind of one of those things where it was, I am who I am, and if you don’t like it, then we don’t have to talk. I’ve got my friends. I don’t need many more."

Sherman added that politics didn't get in the way of his team's ultimate goal, adding that as a whole they were unified and focused on achieving success on the field.

"The locker room was great," Sherman said. "Everyone loves each other regardless of where you grew up, how you grew up, where you went to school, whatever it is. It was, we have one goal and it’s to win the Super Bowl, and I don’t care what has to happen, but we’re gonna do it, we’re gonna accomplish it together."

He said the coaches and management created a culture of "you do your own thing outside the building, but when we're in the building, this is what our goal is and we're going to go get it."

Elsewhere in the podcast, Sherman shared how a sex-trafficking presentation during his NFL career inspired him to get involved in law enforcement, specifically to help victims.

"I want to be able to help the people that can't help themselves," Sherman said.

The athlete wore a tactical vest and introduced his line of work in his retirement announcement video last April.