.jpg) Sharpe in 2012 | |||||||||
| No. 81, 84, 82 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Tight end | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | (1968-06-26)June 26, 1968 (age 57) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 228 lb (103 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Glennville (Glennville, Georgia) | ||||||||
| College | Savannah State (1986–1989) | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 1990: 7th round, 192nd overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Shannon Sharpe (born June 26, 1968) is an American former professionalfootballtight end who played in theNational Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, primarily with theDenver Broncos. He is considered one of the greatest tight ends of all time.[1][2][3]
Sharpe playedcollege football for theSavannah State Tigers and was selected by the Broncos in the seventh round of the1990 NFL draft. During his 12 non-consecutive seasons with Denver, he was selected to seven consecutivePro Bowls and four first-teamAll-Pros, and won two consecutiveSuper Bowl titles. In between his Broncos tenure, Sharpe was a member ofBaltimore Ravens for two seasons, receiving an eighth Pro Bowl selection and winning a third Super Bowl title. The first NFL tight end to amass over 10,000 receiving yards, Sharpe retired as the NFL leader in tight endreceptions, receiving yards, and receivingtouchdowns. He was inducted to thePro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.[4]
Following his retirement, Sharpe appeared as an analyst forThe NFL Today onCBS Sports and co-hostedSkip and Shannon: Undisputed onFox Sports 1 withSkip Bayless from 2016 to 2023. In the 2020s, Sharpe also became a prominent figure in thesports podcast space, hostingClub Shay Shay andNightcap. After departingUndisputed in 2023, Sharpe joined ESPN and was a weekly analyst onFirst Take until 2025.
Sharpe, the younger brother ofHall of Fame NFL star wide receiverSterling Sharpe, grew up inGlennville, Georgia, where he was an all-state player in three sports at Glennville High School.[5] He once joked, "We were so poor, a robber once broke into our house and we ended up robbing the robber."[6] He commented, "I was a terrible student. I didn't graduatemagna cum laude, I graduated 'Thank you, Lawdy!'"[7] AtSavannah State University, he playedfootball and basketball, and also competed in track and field. In track, he competed in jumping and throwing events.
Sharpe was a three-time All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection from 1987 to 1989 and the SIAC Player of the Year in 1987. He was also selected as a Kodak Division II All-American in 1989. He led the Tigers' football team to their best records in the program's history: 7–3 in 1988 and 8–1 in 1989. As a senior, Sharpe caught 61 passes for 1,312 yards and 18 touchdowns, including three games with more than 200 yards. Sharpe finished his college career with 192 receptions for 3,744 yards and 40 touchdowns.[8] He was inducted into the Division II Football Hall of Fame in 2009, Savannah State's athletic Hall of Fame in 2010,[9] and theBlack College Football Hall of Fame in 2013.[10] In addition, Savannah State University also retired Sharpe's No. 2 jersey.[11]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Vertical jump | Broad jump |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft1+1⁄4 in (1.86 m) | 221 lb (100 kg) | 33 in (0.84 m) | 10 in (0.25 m) | 4.67 s | 1.61 s | 2.81 s | 4.55 s | 34.0 in (0.86 m) | 10 ft 2 in (3.10 m) |
Despite his stellar college career, Sharpe was not considered a highly rated prospect in the1990 NFL draft. In addition to playing Division II college football, Sharpe's size—6 ft 2 in (1.88 m), 230 lb (104 kg)—was considered too large for a receiver and too small for a tight end. He was eventually selected in the seventh round with the 192nd pick by theDenver Broncos.[12] After two mediocre seasons as a receiver in which he caught just 29 passes, Denver converted him to a tight end. This quickly paid off, as Sharpe caught 53 passes in his third season.[8] He remained with Denver until 1999, winning two championship rings atSuper Bowl XXXII andSuper Bowl XXXIII in the process.[13] After a two-year stint with theBaltimore Ravens, where he won another championship ring atSuper Bowl XXXV, he returned to the Broncos. He played there until 2003.[14] From there, he retired to become an NFL analyst for CBS.
Ozzie Newsome, the Ravens' general manager, said of Sharpe during his career: "I think he's a threat when he's on the field. He has to be double-teamed. He's a great route-runner. He's proven that he can make the big plays. That's what separates him. He's a threat." Sharpe was selected to the All-Pro Team four times, played in eightPro Bowls (1992–1998, 2001) and amassed over 1,000 receiving yards in three different seasons. In a1993 playoff game against theLos Angeles Raiders, Sharpe tied a postseason record with 13 receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown. In the Ravens'2000 AFC title game against theOakland Raiders, he caught a short pass on third down and 18 from his own four-yard line and took it 96 yards for a touchdown, the only touchdown the Ravens scored, en route to a 16–3 Ravens win; as of 2025[update], this remains the Ravens' longest offensive play in team history. Sharpe also caught a 50+ yard pass in each of their other two playoff games. He finished his 14-year career with 815 receptions for 10,060 yards and 62 touchdowns in 203 games.
Sharpe was among the 17 finalists being considered for enshrinement at thePro Football Hall of Fame in 2009. However, he was passed over in his first year in a class that includedBruce Smith,Ralph Wilson,Derrick Thomas andRod Woodson.
.jpg)
On November 28, 2010, Sharpe was nominated as a semi-finalist for induction into the 2011 Pro Football Hall of Fame, along withArt Modell and 24 others, among themJerome Bettis,Roger Craig,Marshall Faulk, andDeion Sanders. Subsequently, on February 6, 2011, Shannon Sharpe was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Won theSuper Bowl | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | DEN | 16 | 7 | 99 | 14.1 | 33 | 1 |
| 1991 | DEN | 16 | 22 | 322 | 14.6 | 37 | 1 |
| 1992 | DEN | 16 | 53 | 639 | 12.1 | 55 | 2 |
| 1993 | DEN | 16 | 81 | 995 | 12.3 | 63 | 9 |
| 1994 | DEN | 15 | 87 | 1,010 | 11.6 | 44 | 4 |
| 1995 | DEN | 13 | 63 | 756 | 12.0 | 49 | 4 |
| 1996 | DEN | 15 | 80 | 1,062 | 13.3 | 51 | 10 |
| 1997 | DEN | 16 | 72 | 1,107 | 15.4 | 68 | 3 |
| 1998 | DEN | 16 | 64 | 768 | 12.0 | 38 | 10 |
| 1999 | DEN | 5 | 23 | 224 | 9.7 | 24 | 0 |
| 2000 | BAL | 16 | 67 | 811 | 12.1 | 59 | 5 |
| 2001 | BAL | 16 | 73 | 811 | 11.1 | 37 | 2 |
| 2002 | DEN | 12 | 61 | 686 | 11.2 | 82 | 3 |
| 2003 | DEN | 15 | 62 | 770 | 12.4 | 28 | 8 |
| Total | 203 | 815 | 10,060 | 12.3 | 82 | 62 | |
.jpg)
Sharpe was acommentator for theCBS Sports pregame showThe NFL Today, including theSprint Halftime Report and theSubway Postgame Show, replacingDeion Sanders and co-hosting withJames Brown (formerly withFox NFL Sunday), former NFLquarterbacksDan Marino andBoomer Esiason, as well as former coachBill Cowher.[15] In the 2004 NFL regular season,[16] Sharpe defeated Marino and Esiason in thepick 'em game ofThe NFL Today with a 53–21 record. On February 18, 2014, it was announced that Sharpe, along with Dan Marino, were being relieved of their duties as on-air commentators onThe NFL Today and were being replaced byTony Gonzalez andBart Scott.[17]
In 2013, Sharpe became a columnist and spokesperson for FitnessRX ForMen magazine and appeared on their September 2013 cover.[citation needed] Sharpe has hostedSirius NFL Radio'sOpening Drive morning program, alongsideBob Papa.[18]
After his retirement, Sharpe has been a social media staple, going viral for his antics and sports commentary. He is also notably a huge supporter ofNBA playerLeBron James, referring to him as the greatest basketball player in NBA history.[19][20] He also appeared on theAmerican Dad! episode "The Scarlett Getter", portraying himself.
Sharpe joinedSkip Bayless inFS1's sports debate showSkip and Shannon: Undisputed which premiered on September 6, 2016.[21] In addition to his defense of LeBron James, Sharpe was also known for his criticism ofTom Brady and theDallas Cowboys on the show. On May 31, 2023, it was announced that Sharpe would soon leaveUndisputed after reaching abuyout agreement with Fox Sports.[22] On June 13, Sharpe co-hosted his last episode ofUndisputed.[23] He later confirmed that he and Bayless had a falling out following an argument where Bayless compared Sharpe's NFL career to Tom Brady's.[24]
Sharpe also has multiple podcasts:Club Shay Shay (which he hosts) andNightcap (which he hosts withChad Ochocinco Johnson andGilbert Arenas).[25] The episode ofClub Shay Shay featuringBubba Wallace was selected by the Apple Podcasts editorial team on their "Apple Podcasts Best of 2021" list.[26][27] Both podcasts have been nominated for and won multiple awards for online media.
On August 23, 2023, it was announced that Sharpe and hisClub Shay Shay podcast would joinThe Volume, a digital podcast network founded byColin Cowherd under a multi-year deal.[28] The following day, Sharpe was announced to joinFirst Take onESPN as a recurring panelist, beginning on September 4, 2023. He appeared every Monday and Tuesday during the 2023 NFL season.[29] On February 16, 2024, Sharpe signed a contract extension to remain on the show.[30] In June 2024, Sharpe had officially signed a new multi-year contract extension with ESPN which also allowed him to expand his role onFirst Take.[31]
On September 12,Nightcap streamedThe Roast of Shannon Sharpe, with special guests includingLavell Crawford,Kai Cenat,Godfrey,Cam Newton, andSnoop Dogg.[32]
In February 2025, the "Club Shay Shay" podcast won the Outstanding Society and Culture Podcast at the 2025NAACP Image Awards. He was also a nominee for Entertainer of the Year but was edged out by actress, singer and television personalityKeke Palmer.
On April 24, 2025, Sharpe departed from ESPN for an unknown period of time amid a sexual assault lawsuit against him. Despite his intent to return to ESPN in time for the start of the NFL preseason, the amount of time that Sharpe will be on hiatus remains indefinite.[33][34] On July 30, 2025, it was reported that ESPN cut ties with Sharpe after the settlement of the rape lawsuit.[35]
Sharpe has three children: a son and two daughters.[36]
On February 10, 2023, former NFL quarterbackBrett Favre began a lawsuit against Sharpe and fellow former NFL playerPat McAfee, as well as Mississippi auditorShad White, for making "defamatory charges" about Favre's involvement in a $77 million welfare fraud scheme. A representative for Favre stated that Sharpe and McAfee "tried to enhance their careers by fabricating unsubstantiated defamation charges against [Favre]."[37] The lawsuit was dismissed by the United States District Court for the District of Mississippi and the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal.[38]
In May 2023, Sharpe's Los Angeles home was burglarized with over $1 million worth of items stolen, according to several media reports. Obvious signs of forced entry were not found by the police. Sharpe announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.[39][40]
On September 11, 2024, Sharpe inadvertently started anInstagram Live after throwing his phone onto his bed; the live video captured only the audio of him while he engaged insexual intercourse. Sharpe initially denied his involvement in the act, stating his account was hacked.[41] Later that night, he admitted onNightcap that the video was authentic and apologized for his actions.[42]
On April 21, 2025, Sharpe was named as a defendant in a civil lawsuit filed byOnlyFans sex worker Gabriella Zuniga,[43] who initially used the pseudonym "Jane Doe", and is represented by attorneyTony Buzbee.[44] The 13-page complaint alleged Sharpe committed "assault,sexual assault,battery, andsexual battery" and engaged in the "intentional infliction ofemotional distress", and soughtcompensatory andpunitive damages of more than $50 million from Sharpe.[45] In response, Sharpe released a video denying the accusations and calling the whole issue "ashakedown".[46] Soon afterwards, the woman's legal team sent numerous text messages which were exchanged between her and Sharpe toLarry Brown Sports.[47] Sharpe's legal team had previously revealed some text messages exchanged between Sharpe and the woman as well.[47]
Sharpe's lawyerLanny Davis conceded that Sharpe previously offered a "$10 million" settlement to the accuser.[48] In a recording obtained byPeople magazine, a voice resembling Sharpe's is ostensibly heard threatening physical harm to the accuser, with the words, "If you say that word one more time, I'm gonna fucking choke the shit out of you when I see you."[49][50]
On July 18, 2025, Zuniga's lawyer Tony Buzbee announced that the lawsuit was resolved out of court after "protracted and respectful negotiations". The case was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled.[51] The exact financial terms were not disclosed publicly, though multiple reliable sources reported that the settlement was substantially less than the $50 million originally sought. It is believed to have exceeded $10 million, potentially significantly so, though any exact figure remains confidential.[52] There was no admission of guilt by Sharpe as part of the resolution.
Following the filing of the lawsuit in April 2025, Sharpe stepped aside temporarily from his duties atESPN, where he appeared onFirst Take citing the need to address the allegations. Although he originally intended to return for the start of the NFL preseason, less than two weeks after the settlement, ESPN announced it would not be renewing his contract, effectively ending his association with the network in late July 2025.[53]
Hours after the settlement was reported, Gabriella Zuniga announced her retirement from OnlyFans, expressing gratitude and looking toward new opportunities.[54]
Media related toShannon Sharpe at Wikimedia Commons