Shannon Sharpe delivered a major scoop earlier this week when he got Julio Jones to admit live on the air that the star wide receiver wants the Atlanta Falcons to trade him. The big question is whether or not Jones knew he was on the air. If he didn’t, Sharpe may have technically broken the law.
Sharpe called Jones during FS1’s “UNDISPUTED” on Monday and asked him if he wants to remain with the Falcons. The Pro Bowler, who was on speakerphone, emphatically said, “I’m outta there man.” That was his first public admission that he wants a trade. You can see the video here.
According to a report from Front Office Sports, Sharpe’s on-air exchange with Jones has caused issues between FOX and the NFL. The Falcons were also blindsided, and Jones’ representatives at Creative Artists Agency have reached out to the network about the situation. One source told FOS that it has “become a huge deal.”
There is also a legal element to what transpired. As FOS notes, “UNDISPUTED” is produced at the FOX Sports studio in Los Angeles. California is a two-party consent state, which means you cannot record or air a conversation like the one Sharpe and Jones had unless both parties agree to it. Sharpe could, in theory, be charged with a misdemeanor under California Penal Code Sec. 632, which carries up to a $2,000 fine and/or a year in jail.
Jones would have to file a complaint in order for Sharpe to be charged. That has not happened and it is highly unlikely that it will.
If Sharpe did not inform Jones that he was on the air, it would be the second major flub for the host in the past month or so. He also recently embarrassed himself when he used a fake quote in an attempt to call out Kevin Durant.
