‘Take myself out’ – Shannon Sharpe fought back tears with Hall of Fame admission before ultimate tribute to older brother
On Saturday night, Sterling Sharpe joins his brother Shannon Sharpe in Canton.
The older Sharpe – who turned 60 in April – is one of just four players, alongside Jared Allen, Eric Allen and Antonio Gates who will join the NFL’s Hall of Fame.
The four-man list is the smallest Hall of Fame class since 2005, but for Sharpe it promises to be another emotional moment, alongside his brother.
And it was Shannon, a three-time Super Bowl champion now just as famous for his opinion on sports as he was for his ability on the field, who delivered the news back in February at this year’s NFL Honors.
Sharpe was voted in as a seniors candidate meaning a gold jacket and the permanent bust mean he and Shannon are the first NFL siblings to be inducted into pro football’s illustrious halls in Canton, Ohio.
Sterling Sharpe was a five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver who starred for the Green Bay Packers in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
However, his Hall of Fame-worthy career was cut short by a bad neck injury after he found an abnormality, in the form of looseness in the top two vertebrae, that needed surgery after the 1994 season.
He had the surgery but unfortunately never returned to football, cutting short a career that was well on its way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Shannon is widely regarded as one of the greatest tight ends ever, has long given credit to his older brother for inspiring his own career.
He gave his brother his first Super Bowl ring, and shed tears at his own Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement in 2011 as he thanked his sibling for his mentorship while lamenting his unfortunate career arc.
How did Sterling Sharpe find out about Hall of Fame
Shannon delivered the news about Sterling’s induction directly to him in footage from ‘The Hall of Fame Knocks: Class of 2025’.
“This is the proudest moment in my life, ” Shannon said while fighting back tears at the news ahead of Sterling’s induction ceremony last August.
“I don’t think that has really set in yet,” Sterling added. “It’s one of those situations where the closer it gets to having the same color jacket he has and standing in same place he stood and being able to have a conversation about the journey to get there I think it will set in. But right now it hasn’t hit home yet.”
After the NFL Honors, Sterling joined Shannon for a live recording of his ‘Nightcap’ podcast with Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson.
“This is why I get emotional,” Shannon said in front of a packed-out audience in New Orleans before Super Bowl LIX.
“People ask why [I get emotional], because I had to follow him to get to where I’m going.
“I got to walk in his footsteps. Almost everything I learned I learned from him.”
Shannon then got choked up remembering a story about his beloved grandparents being hard on Sterling because it was ‘his job to teach’ Shannon.
“For my brother to do what he did with no instruction manual, and to get me to where I got,” Shannon added, before pausing after being overcome with emotion.
The live crowd applauded while certain audience members could be seen drying their own eyes.
“The only man I wanted to be was him, he’s my role model,” Shannon went on after composing himself.
“He’s like my father. I’m not the person I am without him. I’ve said it before, I would give everything I have, take myself out the Hall of Fame, just for you to be here.”
Sterling also spoke on stage during the live show, saying how big of an honor it was to follow in Shannon’s footsteps.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to follow that guy,” Sterling said, pointing at his younger brother.
The older Sterling would have been in the Hall of Fame much sooner had it not been for his devastating career-ending neck injury.
In 1992, he became the second player since the 1970 merger to lead the league in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches.
He also received three All-Pro nods form 1989-94.
Why did Shannon Sharpe leave ESPN
Shannon has confirmed that won’t be returning to ESPN, after reports emerged on Wednesday that he would not be back in place for the NFL season.
He initially stepped back from his role in April following a lawsuit alleging sexual assault, harassment, and battery.
Shannon Sharpe has always vehemently denied the allegations, and the case was resolved out of court in July, but after The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand initial reported that Shannon would not returning, later that day, he used his own ‘Nightcap’ podcast to confirm the news.
“I’m sure everybody’s heard the news by now that I will not be returning to ESPN,” he said, with his brother’s landmark weekend the reasoning he wanted the news to wait.
“I found out this information a little earlier in the week, and really, the only thing I asked was, guys, could we wait until Monday? My brother’s going into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
“I know this would… this coming out will overshadow everything that he’s worked his entire life for. And unfortunately, it didn’t happen that way.”
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