Shannon Sharpe

Lore & Background

Sharpe played college football for the Savannah State Tigers and was selected by the Broncos in the seventh round of the 1990 NFL draft. During his 12 non-consecutive seasons with Denver, he was selected to seven consecutive Pro Bowls and four first-team All-Pros, and won two consecutive Super Bowl titles. In between his Broncos tenure, Sharpe was a member of the Baltimore 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 end receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Raymond James Stadium was thick with humidity and anticipation on January 12, 2003. It was Super Bowl XXXVII, and the Buccaneers were staring down the Oakland Raiders. On a critical third-and-long in the second quarter, quarterback Brad Johnson rolled right, scanning the field. He saw Shannon Sharpe, number 88, breaking free from his defender near the sideline. The throw was perfect, spiraling through the humid Florida night. Sharpe caught it one-handed, securing the ball against his chest as he crossed the goal line for a touchdown that would shift the momentum of the game forever. It was just one of many moments where the Hall of Famer turned defense into offense.

Reader's Guide

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. He was inducted into the Division II Football Hall of Fame in 2009, Savannah State's athletic Hall of Fame in 2010, and the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2013. In addition, Savannah State University also retired Sharpe's No. 2 jersey. Despite his stellar college career, Sharpe was not considered a highly rated prospect in the 1990 NFL draft. In addition to playing Division II college football, Sharpe's size—6 ft, 230 lb—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 the Denver Broncos. 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. He remained with Denver until 1999, winning two championship rings at Super Bowl XXXII and Super Bowl XXXIII in the process. After a two-year stint with the Baltimore Ravens, where he won another championship ring at Super Bowl XXXV, he returned to the Broncos. He played there until 2003. From there, he retired to become an NFL analyst for CBS. Sharpe was selected to the All-Pro Team four times, played in eight Pro Bowls (1992–1998, 2001) and amassed over 1,000 receiving yards in three different seasons. In a 1993 playoff game against the Los Angeles Raiders, Sharpe tied a postseason record with 13 receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown. In the Ravens' 2000 AFC title game against the Oakland 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; 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 10,06

Did You Know?

• Sharpe was the first NFL tight end to amass over 10,000 receiving yards.
• He won three Super Bowl titles: two with the Denver Broncos (XXXII, XXXIII) and one with the Baltimore Ravens (XXXV).
• Sharpe was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
• He was selected in the seventh round of the 1990 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos.
• Sharpe's college jersey number 2 was retired by Savannah State University.