Shannon Sharpe laughed off claims he intentionally had sex whilst recording on Instagram Live for public attention, as the former NFL tight end insists he is too private to expose that part of his life.
Fans tuned into the ex-athlete’s feed expecting to see the 56-year-old showing more of his personality by talking about football, having transitioned his career to punditry after retiring from the gridiron.
But they got more than they bargained for when it dawned on them the former Denver Bronco, who won three Super Bowls and scored 62 touchdowns, was involved in a very intimate activity with a lady friend.
Despite being known for his privacy and reclusive nature when he isn’t performing on the field or before the cameras, fans wondered if the whole thing was some kind of publicity stunt but he firmly dismissed those claims.
“It doesn’t [make sense] because I’m such a private person,” Sharpe said on Club Shay Shay. “And I’ve done a great job of keeping my personal life private.
“I did as good a job as I could shielding my kids, my relationships because I believe public relationships-when they end, they have to end publicly also.
“So I like to be behind the scenes. I like to date privately. I like to-if we end this relationship-I like to end it privately. And here I am.
“People actually think I intended to do that? Really? Lose my job? Potentially, you know, 50 million dollars from Disney gone? All these advertising and sponsors, that Club Shay Shay, Nightcap, and all the affiliates that’s up on the Shay Shay media? Lose that-millions? What?”
Sharpe’s career comeback
As one of the finest tight ends to play the sport, a career in the media always awaited Sharpe when he decided to bow out from the NFL at the end of his professional career in the NFL with the Broncos in 2003.
And it didn’t take him long to find success as he linked up with The NFL Today on CBS Sports, before going on to have stints with Sirius XM Radio’s NFL show and even appeared in some American comedy shows.
Then in 2016, he got his big break. He joined Skip Bayless to host FS1’s Undisputed show, a position he held all the way until 2023 when FOX Sports decided to buy his contract out as he departed the network on June 13.
Fans then worried that could be his career over. However, he found a new avenue through podcasting. He launched his own Club Shay Shay, which he hosts, and also began Nightcap alongside Chad Johnson and Gilbert Arenas.
The success of the podcast saw him go on to join ESPN to appear on their First Take show with Stephen A. Smith, a role he holds to this day after signing an extension with the network in June 2024.
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