Pro Football Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl champion Shannon Sharpe will join First Take, ESPN’s signature morning debate show featuring Stephen A. Smith and host Molly Qerim, every Monday and Tuesday during football season.
- Sharpe will make his First Take debut going head-to-head with Smith for the full two hours on September 4th and 5th, following Week 1 of college football and kicking off the opening week of the NFL regular season.
- Sharpe adds to First Take’s signature lineup of guest football experts who will join Smith and Qerim weekly beginning in September, including
- Ryan Clark
- Dan Orlovsky
- Chris Russo
- Marcus Spears
- And more
- Sharpe played 14 seasons in the NFL with the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens before being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011.
- He has since had a long television career with both CBS Sports and FS1 and has developed a reputation as being one of the most outspoken and opinionated sports personalities, which should match up very well with Stephen A. Smith.
What they’re saying:
- David Roberts, ESPN head of event & studio production: “First Take is the destination for morning sports debate year-round, and now with Shannon joining the signature show’s fall guest lineup opposite Stephen A. and Molly, fans will have even more to look forward to this NFL and college football season.”
- Stephen A. Smith: “It never hurts to have a 3-time Super Bowl Champion and Hall of Famer on the show. And it definitely doesn’t hurt to have a friend. Shannon is not only a great talent, but a good man, as well. A man who’s aiming to do a lot of great things in the near future. I’m just thankful he accepted my invitation to join First Take as being one of those things — even if it means him getting beat down in debates from time-to-time. Buckle up, folks. Here we come!”
- Shannon Sharpe: “I’m excited to announce this fall I’ll take my on air talents to ESPN’s First Take and debate my friend Stephen A. Smith. We’re both graduates of HBCU’s, very opinionated and animated. GET YOUR POPCORN READY.”