General manager John Lynch pledged the 49ers’ support for Richard Sherman and his family through a difficult time.
Lynch said he learned of Sherman’s arrest Wednesday upon returning from a vacation in Tanzania.
“Obviously, (it’s) not the news you want to hear,” Lynch said Thursday on a conference call arranged through the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“Surprised, certainly, but most of all, just concern for the family, for everyone involved.”
Lynch said he reached out to Sherman and his wife, Ashley.
Sherman remained Thursday morning in a Seattle jail after his arrest on suspicion of residential burglary, DUI and hit-and-run. Lynch said he informed the Shermans the 49ers will serve as a resource for them.
“More than anything, just praying for them,” Lynch said. “They’re good people. Just praying that they find their way through this, and we’ll support them any way we can.”
Sherman, 33, played his first seven NFL seasons with the Seattle Seahawks before playing out a three-year contract with the 49ers. Sherman remains unsigned as an unrestricted free agent.
Lynch, a hard-hitting safety during his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Denver Broncos, is set to enter the Hall of Fame this summer as part of the Class of 2021.
He said his background as a player of 15 seasons in the NFL gives him a greater perspective, understanding and empathy in his current role.
“I think it gives me great perspective and maybe a little bit of credibility in their eyes, because I’ve been in their shoes. I’ve lived that,” Lynch said.
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Lynch said he was not speaking specifically about Sherman, but he noted the difficult transition that players face toward the ends of their careers.
Lynch and Sherman both attended Stanford. Lynch relayed his own experiences of making the transition from player to his post-football life.
“I don’t care how prepared people might think you are, it’s a difficult one,” Lynch said. “People struggle with that for a variety of reasons. It’s difficult.”
