After missing out on the final cut the previous two years, tight end Shannon Sharpe finally has his well-deserved place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. A great athletic talent, Sharpe played for Division II Savannah State and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the seventh round (192nd overall) of the 1990 NFL Draft. When all was said and done in 2003 at the time of his retirement, he was the all-time leader among tight ends in receptions (815), yards (10,060) and touchdowns (62).
Shannon Sharpe Joins NFL Hall Of Fame As One Of Game’s Best Tight Ends
Shannon Sharpe retired as the career leader among tight ends in receptions, yards and touchdowns. For that and more, Sharpe will enter the NFL Hall of Fame on Saturday.
For the first nine years of his career, Sharpe had Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway throwing balls to him and he certainly used that to his advantage. Sharpe emerged as a big-time tight end in 1992, his third year in the league, with 53 receptions and 640 receiving yards. He was named to his first Pro Bowl, which was the start of seven straight selections to the All-Star team (eight in total). He also was a First-Team All-Pro four times over that same time.
Sharpe won back-to-back Super Bowls with the Broncos in games XXXII and XXXIII and then picked up a third ring with the Baltimore Ravens in the 35th edition of the game. He played with the Broncos in 2002 and 2003 before retiring for a spot on CBS' football coverage. Tony Gonzalez has since surpassed his records.
Sharpe, known for the colorful phrases he could utter, will be presented by his brother, Sterling, before he tries to keep his own induction speech within the 10 minutes allowed.
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