There’s no shortage of examples of former players coming to manage an NFL franchise. Will it shock anyone if Shannon Sharpe announces his intention to become the head coach of the Denver Broncos? Perhaps during the initial phase, but later on, the Mile High crowd would love to welcome the legendary tight end.
Sharpe, born in Chicago, attended Savannah State and was drafted by the Denver Broncos during the 7th round of the 1990 NFL Draft. He spent a decade in Boulder Country, redefining how a tight end should play in the league. Under the leadership of John Elway as their quarterback, Sharpe won the Super Bowl twice.
Now, if the chance arrives to manage his beloved Broncos, will the 55-year-old agree to take it? During a recent segment of his Nightcap podcast with Chad Johnson, Sharpe revealed that he has no intention of replacing Sean Payton.
I want to be no coach. I mean, Mr. Bowlen wanted me to come work for the Broncos. I don’t want to work in a football capacity like that. Shannon Sharpe told Chad Johnson
He still had football left in him after leaving the Broncos. Ray Lewis‘ Baltimore Ravens came calling, and Sharpe wasted no time. With the Ravens, he bagged another Super Bowl ring in 2000 and then moved back to Denver, playing two more years before hanging up his boots in 2003. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009.
A look into Shannon Sharpe’s broadcasting Life
It did not take long for Shannon Sharpe to find his next gig. A year after announcing his retirement, he became a commentator for the CBS Sports pregame show, The NFL Today. Sharpe also hosted Sirius XM Radio’s Opening Drive morning program.
However, his big break in the broadcasting world came in the form of being the co-host of FOX Sports’ Undisputed with Skip Bayless in 2016. Their seven-year-long partnership ended in May 2023, when the show was in its prime, following constant on-screen disputes.
In the meantime, Sharpe launched his podcast, ‘Club Shay Shay,’ which now has more than 2 million followers on YouTube and several more on various podcast platforms.
Shannon Sharpe says he made more from his viral Katt Williams interview than he made any one year playing in the NFL.
The most Sharpe earned in a season was $5M in 2000.
(via @NightcapShow_) pic.twitter.com/9obvXE2Lsi
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) March 8, 2024
In August 2023, ESPN announced that Sharpe would be their latest addition of new faces on ‘First Take.’ From September, he became a regular on Mondays, and Tuesdays, during the 2023 NFL season. In January, the network announced that he was signing a big extension.