Just weeks after leaving Skip Bayless and Fox Sports 1’s “Undisputed” following the NBA Finals, Shannon Sharpe could reportedly be headed to another prominent media job with a far more prominent role in sports media.
Sharpe, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, first got involved with sports media as a commentator on CBS Sports’ pregame show The NFL Today. A few years later, he joined Bayless on FS1’s top sports debate show, which helped his popularity grow dramatically.
- Shannon Sharpe stats: 815 receptions, 10,060 receiving yards, 62 touchdowns
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The Savannah State alum seized on his rising popularity, launching the podcast Club Shay Shay, where he sits down with athletes and celebrities to discuss sports, their lives and pop culture. It was then announced in May of this year that Sharpe was leaving Undisputed after reaching an agreement on a contract buyout with Fox Sports.
Days before his 55th birthday, June 26, Sharpe teased that his break from television will be short and he’ll be back talking about sports in the morning very soon.
While Sharpe didn’t provide any details about what’s next for him, a new report from Front Office Sports suggests the NFL legend could be poised to take another major step forward in his media career this year.
- Shannon Sharpe career earnings (NFL): $22.328 million
According to Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports, Sharpe is in talks on a deal with FanDuel that could allow him to fill the void left by Pat McAfee.
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With McAfee headed to ESPN, backing out of a four-year, $120 million deal, Fan Duel is looking for a viable replacement. Sharpe is reportedly in “early talks” with the company about joining FanDuel’s TV platform with an even larger role than he had on Fox Sports 1.
However, as Front Office Sports notes, Sharpe is also drawing interest from other media companies. Stephen A. Smith invited him to join the panel on ESPN’s “First Take” and even McAfee has expressed an interest in Sharpe heading to ESPN.
While the talks with FanDuel are preliminary, the network would provide Sharpe with the opportunity to be himself and build upon his brand just as McAfee did.