ESPN has agreed to a multi-year contract with Pro Football Hall of Famer, three-time Super Bowl champion, and Savannah State University alum Shannon Sharpe. Under this new deal, Sharpe will expand his role on First Take, ESPN’s signature morning debate show featuring Stephen A. Smith and host Molly Qerim.
“Shannon Sharpe has been an incredible addition to the First Take team, enhancing the show’s dynamic with his engaging presence and insightful commentary,” said David Roberts, ESPN’s Head of Event & Studio Production. “Shannon’s chemistry with Stephen A. Smith has elevated our debates and been another key reason First Take is the premier destination for morning sports discussion.”
First Take recently earned its 22nd consecutive month of year-over-year growth and the most-viewed May ever, thanks in part to Sharpe’s contributions.
Sharpe – who originally joined First Take in August 2023 – will also see his role expand across various other ESPN programs to be announced later.
Said Sharpe, “Being a part of this family has been a blessing. Everything about this relationship with ESPN, Stephen A., and First Take, has been tremendous. I look forward to expanding my role and showing more of the world what I have to offer. The show goes on!”
ESPN’s First Take airs on weekdays from 10 a.m. – Noon ET on ESPN. Sharpe also hosts his weekly podcast, Club Shay Shay, where he sits down with athletes, celebrities and influencers to break down, analyze and discuss the latest headlines in sports, pop culture, and everything in between.
Shannon Sharpe attended Savannah State University from 1986-1989, where he played football and basketball, and also competed in track and field. 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.
