Straight up, I was never a huge fan of Shannon Sharpe as a broadcaster. I always felt that he was more about decibels than depth, volume than verisimilitude, and screaming than substance. Sharpe seemed to be the quintessential example of how the loudest guy in the room is not always the most insightful. I sure as hell could hear him, but I really didn’t want to.
Times have changed. Since joining ESPN’s First Take in September, Sharpe has undergone a transformation and become a must-watch on the highly-rated sports debate show. Sharpe does not just contribute to the show on his Monday and Tuesday appearances, he becomes the show.
The moniker Renaissance Man is often used for a multi-faceted individual, a person of various talents if you will. Shannon Sharpe’s football resume is unquestioned: three-time Super Bowl Champion, Pro Football Hall of Famer, five-time All-Pro, eight-time Pro Bowler, and a member of the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team.
Still, Sharpe is a latter-day Renaissance Man not because he has merely transitioned from playing to broadcasting. Renaissance means rebirth, and this is the essence of what Sharpe is doing now. The erstwhile co-host of FS1’s Undisputed has undergone a metamorphosis and taken his TV game to a whole new level of insight and information.
While his run on Undisputed ended abruptly, Sharpe greatly benefitted from working with co-host Skip Bayless. The polarizing Bayless is one of the all-time great sports debaters, a man whose rhythm and intensity are matched by few.
Like a young quarterback playing understudy to a veteran signal caller, Sharpe took in Bayless’s prowess even if it was merely by osmosis. Simply put, he is a better communicator than he was pre-Undisputed.
As in his playing days, Sharpe’s motor is Indy 500-worthy. On First Take, however, he has slowed it down, measuring his words, and planning his thoughts more deliberately. He has also mastered the art of listening to his fellow panelists.
I can see Sharpe taking in the words of others as they speak and planning his retorts. He used to just shoot from the hip, now he is more hip to what he will be shooting.
Sharpe’s good friendship with First Take star Stephen A. Smith has resulted in a creative comfort zone where the former Broncos and Ravens tight end can be himself. But it is not just Smith, Sharpe has honed his craft and has logged excellent exchanges with the likes of host Molly Qerim, and panelists Dan Orlovsky and Jeff Saturday.
Sharpe has become a versatile talent providing real talk, humor, hot takes, and unique perspectives not only on football but on a wide sports spectrum.
The December 12th episode of First Take is a great example. Sharpe came out swinging saying that he has concerns about the Miami Dolphins despite their prolific offense. He put the verbal hammer down on the Dolphins’ defense for letting inexperienced Titans’ quarterback Will Levis dominate them and wondered what the likes of Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes will do to them in the playoffs.
Speaking of Mahomes, Shannon Sharpe threw out an excellent question when discussing the Chiefs’ subpar receiving corps saying, “Can you imagine what DeAndre Hopkins would look like in a Kansas City Chiefs’ uniform?”
This dude was on fire with comments. He asserted that while everyone thought the AFC would be the loaded conference this year, it is the NFC that has more Super Bowl-ready teams right now. Regarding last Monday night’s game between the Packers and Giants, He averred, “When (quarterback Tommy) DeVito is in the game, (the Giants) expect to win, they don’t hope.”
At times, Smith, Qerim, and Saturday seemed absolutely entranced by Sharpe’s superb rants. He dominated the show. In discussing the tax ramifications of Shoei Ohtani’s financial deal with the Dodgers, Sharpe spouted that Uncle Sam is the only guy who doesn’t have to do any work and gets 50%. Seamlessly sailing into another sport, Sharpe had some nice moments talking about Spurs’ rookie Victor Wembanyama and this week’s Pacers/Pistons NBA matchup.
In a crossover segment with the equally vociferous Pat McAfee, Sharpe made the point that the Ravens are the AFC team most likely to reach the Super Bowl, “They are now no longer one dimensional,” he offered, “They can pass it, they can run it, and their special teams are excellent. They can take their show on the road and they can possess the football.”
He stated outright that the Eagles can’t beat the Cowboys or the 49ers and was even more direct in talking about Pelicans’ star Zion Williamson stating, “Zion has not got his butt in shape and he has not done what his needed to do with his eating habits.” Sharp pulls no punches, answers to no one, and knows no limits in his frankness.
With Max Kellerman’s exit from First Take, Smith could have easily brought in a bunch of panelists who would simply fall in line with his opinion, laugh at his jokes, and generally suck up in gratitude for the exposure. He did no such thing. Instead, Smith features Christopher Russo, Dan Orlovsky, Saturday, Marcus Spears, Ryan Clark, Kimberley Martin, and Sharpe – a crisp collection of combative cohorts.
Sharpe’s rise has not gone unnoticed. He was recently named the Number 1 Most Entertaining Sports Personality by Complex Sports, a popular sports, culture, and media news company.
He also has 2.9 million followers on both Instagram and Twitter and entertains these followers with his ongoing praise of LeBron James and the use of animation and video in his posts. Sharpe also has a podcast called Club Shay Shay where he interviews popular sports and entertainment personalities.
Today’s Shannon Sharpe doesn’t just show up to the set with his Hall of Fame plaque and yellow jacket. He is prepared, dishes out stats to support his opinions, and is thoroughly well-versed on the subjects at hand.
A lot of athletes turned broadcasters rely on their charisma and personality to effortlessly translate to the airwaves. Shannon Sharpe may have fallen into this category early in his career, but he has grown as a personality. He is a former player who is unafraid to criticize players. He is a current broadcaster who has not forgotten what it is like to be a player. The result is thick commentary with deep roots.
Shannon Sharpe is living up to his last name with barbed commentary and pinpoint accuracy. His words are like a laser beam cutting through the BS and shining a direct light on a wide array of issues.
John Molori is a weekly columnist for Barrett Sports Media. He has previously contributed to ESPNW, Patriots Football Weekly, Golf Content Network, Methuen Life Magazine, and wrote a syndicated Media Blitz column in the New England region, which was published by numerous outlets including The Boston Metro, Providence Journal, Lowell Sun, and the Eagle-Tribune. His career also includes fourteen years in television as a News and Sports Reporter, Host, Producer working for Continental Cablevision, MediaOne, and AT&T. He can be reached on Twitter @MoloriMedia.
