Shannon Sharpe — one of the most famous faces from the NFL and on sports television — made headlines after a video of him made the rounds on social media on Wednesday, September 11. Internet users couldn’t believe what they were hearing during Shannon’s Instagram Live. So, what happened in the live video?
Who Is Shannon Tharpe?
Shannon is former football tight end and ESPN personality. He played 14 seasons in the NFL — almost all of them with the Denver Broncos. After retiring from the league, Shannon became known as one of the greatest tight ends of all time, earning his spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
In 2003, Shannon retired from professional football to work as a sports analyst and commentator for CBS. After that, he was hired by ESPN and has also hosted his own podcasts, including “Club Shay Shay” and “Nightcap.” On social media, the Chicago native became known for his commentary on sports.
What Is in the Shannon Sharpe Video?
On September 11, Shannon unknowingly shared an Instagram Live video, which was audio of him having sex with an unidentified woman. The TV personality initially claimed in a since-deleted tweet that his Instagram account had been hacked. However, he came clean about the contents of the video during a recent episode of his podcast “Nightcap.”
While recalling what happened when the Live went up, Shannon said he “threw [his] phone on the bed, engaged in an activity” but “did not know [Instagram was live].”
“I’ve never turned IG live on, so I don’t know how it works, and all of sudden, my other phone started going off,” he explained.
Throughout the podcast episode, Shannon opened up about how humiliated he felt that the private moment was heard by thousands.
“Obviously, I am embarrassed,” Shannon admitted. “Someone that is extremely, extremely private and to have one of your most intimate details – the audio – heard for the entire world to hear, I’m embarrassed for a number of reasons.”
He went on to note that “a lot of people that count on” him “to be professional at all times,” and he pointed out that he always tries “to be professional at all times, even when [he’s] behind closed doors.”
“I’m very disappointed in myself — not for the act,” Shannon clarified. “I think there are millions and billions of people of consenting age that engage in activities, but for the audio to be heard, I’m disappointed in myself. I let a lot of people down.”
Is Shannon Tharpe Married?
Shannon is not currently married and has not been married in the past.
Does Shannon Tharpe Have Kids?
The retired football star is a father of three kids.
Was Shannon Tharpe Fired From ESPN?
Shannon has not been fired by ESPN at the time of publication. Since his Instagram Live just recently made headlines, it’s too early to determine his employment with the network, which is owned by the Wall Disney Company and partially owned by Hearst Communications.
