*Welp! That was close, but Unc can breathe easy now. Yessir! There’s good news for Shannon Sharpe – his, err, steamy hot accidental viral video won’t be affecting his role at ESPN.
According to TMZ Sports, the network has confirmed it won’t discipline the star for his recent Instagram Live mishap, which unintentionally broadcasted audio of an intimate encounter.
ESPN has assured fans that Sharpe’s absence from “First Take” on Thursday was unrelated to the incident. His usual days off are Thursdays and Fridays, so Sharpe, a.k.a. “Unc,” will be back on air on Monday.
Sharpe, who joined ESPN in 2023 and recently signed a contract extension in June, addressed the situation on his “Nightcap” podcast Wednesday evening. Initially, his Instagram account claimed he had been hacked, but Sharpe quickly cleared the air, admitting the stream was his mistake. He explained that it was his first time using Instagram Live, and he didn’t realize what was happening until an assistant intervened to stop the broadcast.
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Though the video didn’t show any explicit visuals, the audio left little doubt about what was going on. Sharpe expressed his disappointment in himself, particularly for how the incident affected those around him.
“Obviously I am embarrassed for a number of reasons, there are a number of people who count on Shannon to be professional at all times and I always try to be professional at all times, even when I’m behind closed doors,” said Shannon on Nightcap.
Sharpe added: “I’m very disappointed in myself, not for the act. 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 very disappointed in myself. I let a lot of people down.”
Sharpe’s marketing partner, Jamie Fritz, was the one who broke the bad news to him, causing his heart to sink. Jordan Barber, one of Sharpe’s employees, also jumped in to end the stream and post the “hacked” message before Sharpe instructed him to delete it and set the record straight.
Despite the mishap, Sharpe maintained a sense of humor about the situation.
He shared on his podcast that comedian Katt Williams reached out to poke fun, joking, “You ain’t gay today!” (For those who might not get the joke, it’s a reference to online rumors of Sharpe’s sexuality.)
While Sharpe is disappointed in how things unfolded, he was able to share some laughs with co-host Chad Johnson, lightening the mood after the unexpected drama.
For now, Sharpe is set to return to “First Take” as scheduled, with no punishment looming from ESPN. The NFL legend will continue his debate duties with Stephen A. Smith, while his accidental IG stream will likely remain a moment to laugh about in the weeks to come.
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