Shannon Sharpe became a major trending topic on Wednesday after he live-streamed audio of himself having sex, but the blunder is not going to cost him his job at ESPN.
ESPN has no plans to discipline Sharpe, according to a report from TMZ. Some fans had speculated that Sharpe had either been suspended or fired when he did not appear on Thursday morning’s edition of “First Take,” but that was apparently a scheduled off day for Sharpe.
Sharpe is expected to return to his role on “First Take” Monday.
Around midday on Wednesday, Sharpe’s Instagram account began streaming live. The camera for the phone seemed to be pointed at a floorboard. All that could be heard was a bunch of sex-like noises and grunting.
Sharpe addressed the live stream during his “Nightcap” show with Chad Ochocinco on Wednesday and said he was “embarrassed.” He admitted it was him in the audio and said he would never intentionally broadcast such intimate details of his personal life.
After the Sharpe audio went viral, many people wondered if the Hall of Fame tight end would meet the same fate as Paul Pierce did with ESPN in 2021. Pierce was fired by the network after he live-streamed a video of him and some friends playing cards, and there were exotic dancers in the background.
The big difference appears to be that Pierce streamed his actions intentionally, while Sharpe insists what happened with him was a mistake. It’s also worth noting that Sharpe recently signed a multi-year deal with ESPN.
