Shannon Sharpe apologizes after accidentally live-streaming sex act on Instagram

6 days ago

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NFL Hall of Famer and ESPN personality Shannon Sharpe has issued an apology following an incident where he accidentally live-streamed a sexual act on his Instagram account.

Sharpe, a three-time Super Bowl champion over his 14-year career, went on Instagram Live on Wednesday (September 11). During the session, he shared a brief video lasting a minute and a half, which included the sounds of a woman seemingly expressing pleasure. However, the video did not show any explicit actions.

The former football player talked about the situation during a special emergency episode of his Nightcap show on YouTube, which he co-hosts with another NFL star, Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson.

Sharpe first stated that his Instagram account was hacked in a post on X, but later removed it and confessed that the incident happened due to his limited understanding of technology.

“I tossed my phone onto the bed and got involved in something else,” Sharpe explained. “I had no idea I was on Instagram Live. I've never activated it before, so I wasn't familiar with how it functions, and then out of nowhere, my other phone began to ring.”

Shannon Sharpe - Figure 2 — Photo The Independent

"I was devastated," Sharpe recounted after receiving a call from his marketing rep about the situation. "I reached out to my agent, contacted the agency, and even called ESPN. I just wanted to be honest with them. There was no hacking, no joke—what happened was just me being a fit, active guy."

Sharpe expressed deep regret, saying he felt he had disappointed many people and was quite hard on himself. He mentioned that he felt embarrassed, especially since he is a very private person. The thought of such personal information being shared publicly was really difficult for him.

Sharpe boasts around 3.2 million followers on Instagram. Following the viral video, he shared multiple tweets that humorously commented on the situation, including one from ex-ESPN host Michelle Beadle, who said, "It wasn't me."

In the meantime, a company in the adult entertainment industry reached out to TMZ Sports, expressing their interest in providing him with a $100,000 offer should he consider a career shift.

Sharpe became a part of ESPN's morning debate program, First Take, which includes Stephen A. Smith and host Molly Qerim, in August of the previous year. According to Deadline, he recently extended his commitment with the sports network by signing a multi-year deal in June.

A spokesperson for ESPN has not yet replied to The Independent's inquiry for comments.