Colin Kaepernick is looking forward to watching his nemesis Richard Sherman on Super Bowl Sunday … get destroyed by Peyton Manning and the Broncos.
“Go Peyton!” Kaepernick told The Post in an exclusive interview on Thursday. “I think there are a lot of opportunities in the inside zones that [the Broncos will] have a chance to exploit, and when [the Seahawks] get their nickel defense out there, they’ll have some good matchups. They have the receivers to match up really well with [Seattle’s] defensive backs, and they’ll have opportunities to make some big plays.
“From what I’ve seen of Denver, the depth they have at receiver and the playmakers they have on offense are better than some of the defensive players in [the Seahawks’] nickel defense.
Kaepernick is usually a man of very few words to the media, but the topic of Sherman and the Seahawks had the 49ers quarterback channeling Muhammad Ali.
Kaepernick unloaded on Sherman for the Seattle All-Pro cornerback’s comments during his infamous TV interview after the NFC Championship two weeks ago and for taunting Kaepernick with a choke sign at the end of that contest.
“I think everyone knows his comments were ridiculous,” Kaepernick said at the Super Bowl XLVIII media center in Midtown, referring to the FOX postgame interview in which Sherman mocked 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree and proclaimed himself the best cornerback in the NFL.
“As my dad has always told me, if you have to tell people how good you are, then how good are you really? If you have to go on national TV and try to say you’re the best cornerback in the league, then you’ve got your own insecurities.”
Oh, and because of whom Denver is facing, Kaepernick said he’s a big Broncos fan this week.
Sherman’s comments to FOX’s Erin Andrews came after he tipped Kaepernick’s underthrown pass to Crabtree in the corner of the end zone and handed Seattle a 23-17 win — and a trip to the Super Bowl to face the Broncos this Sunday at MetLife Stadium — when the deflection was intercepted by teammate Malcolm Smith.
Sherman derided Crabtree as a mediocre receiver and taunted Kaepernick with the choke sign because Sherman was insulted Kaepernick had even dared to throw in his direction.
But Kaepernick, who is in town promoting an energy drink made from green tea and coffee, told The Post he had no regrets.
“I don’t care who’s out there,” Kaepernick said. “I had Crabtree one-on-one with half of the field to himself, and I’m going to take that every single time. He made a good play on that ball, but if I throw it a foot farther, it’s a touchdown and now you’re the goat, Richard Sherman.
“It’s a game of inches,” Kaepernick added. “The inches were in [Sherman’s] favor in that case, but this game will humble you very quickly.”
Kaepernick was criticized for mocking Panthers quarterback Cam Newton during the Niners’ divisional-round victory three weeks ago, but Kaepernick didn’t have any problem proclaiming Sherman a poor sport for the choke signal.
“Did that make you feel better about yourself? Then go ahead, because I’m not worried about you,” Kaepernick said, referring to Sherman. “I’m just worried about winning games and helping us get to the Super Bowl.
“I can’t get insulted by something that ridiculous coming from somebody like that. From the time that [championship-game final] play ended to the time his [postgame] news conference ended, let’s just say it wasn’t very politically correct.”
Kaepernick’s comments were just the latest salvo in a Seahawks-49ers division rivalry that is quickly emerging as one of the NFL’s fiercest.
Kaepernick said he looks forward to meeting Sherman and the Seahawks at least twice next season — and vowed that he never will fear Sherman, no matter how badly the throw to Crabtree turned out.
“I’ll take that matchup every day,” Kaepernick said. “I feel like he’s afraid of our receivers, and that’s something I look forward to [exploiting] next year.”