Richard Sherman grew up in Compton, Calif. Kam Chancellor is from Norfolk, Va. But for two guys from opposite coasts, they share a lot.

Each came to the Seahawks as a fifth-round draft choice – Chancellor in 2010, as the strongest of strong safeties from Virginia Tech; Sherman in 2011, as a wide receiver turned cornerback from Stanford.

Each had to wait his turn to become a starter – Chancellor stepping at the start of the 2011 season; Sherman taking over at left cornerback midway through that same season.

Each has achieved All-Pro status – Sherman being voted first-team the past three seasons; Chancellor being a second-team selection the past two seasons.

Each also has multiple Pro Bowl berths on his resume – Sherman being voted to the NFL's all-star game the past two seasons; Chancellor playing in the game in 2011 and also making it in 2013 and 2014, when neither he nor Sherman could appear in the game because the Seahawks were preparing to play in the Super Bowl.

Each has won multiple NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors – Sherman twice in 2013 and once in 2012; Chancellor twice last season.

And then there's this: Sherman and Chancellor also share a birthday week. Sherman turns 27 on Monday, while Chancellor will celebrate his 27th birthday on Friday.

So that's something else they have in common – each has done all of the above at such an early age.

And this All-Pro duo also shares another thing: Mutual respect.

Asked late in the 2014 season about Chancellor's impact in the secondary on the Seahawks' No. 1-ranked defense, Sherman offered, "We're a bunch of wild dogs until the big lion comes in and then we're bad. We're some bad men with him around. He just brings that menacing force. We're a bunch of wild dogs. And a pack of wild dogs is pretty dangerous, but a lion running with a pack of dogs? That's something."

Asked earlier in the season which of Sherman's traits he would like to incorporate into his already ample game, Chancellor smiled and said, "His length. You look at the plays he makes; most cornerbacks in the league don't make those. He's a special guy back there."

So in their shared birthday week, we sent special birthday wishes to a pair of special players.