NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe had to wipe away tears during his final co-hosting duties at “Undisputed” opposite Skip Bayless.
The three-time Super Bowl champion with the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens expressed extreme gratitude to Bayless for bringing him on the show in 2016. This exemplification of grace was in stark contrast to the past several months where the two A-type personalities behaved more like adversaries than partners on a popular daytime sports talk show.
Unc Shannon sharpe got emotional thanking Skip bayless 🥺😭❤️💯 pic.twitter.com/RhkOpX353L
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) June 13, 2023
The obvious acrimony, which was palpable between the two, began to surface when Bayless denigrated Sharpe’s career after the ex-player dared to criticize Tom Brady, Bayless’ favorite player.
The animosity was exacerbated when Bayless infamously tweeted that the NFL could not afford to cancel the game in which Damar Hamlin collapsed and nearly died on the field. Sharpe did not attend the show the next morning out of protest, and then the two argued anew when Sharpe tried to explain his position the following day.
It became clear that, after seven years, the rancor between them made their pairing untenable. Therefore, Sharpe negotiated a buyout with Fox Sports 1 which enables him to take his popular “Club Shay Shay” podcast with him to another platform.
On Tuesday morning, however, both Sharpe and Bayless were emotional as their TV divorce is bittersweet.
“Skip Bayless. You fought for me, brother. I’m here because of you. You’ve allowed me to share the stage with you. You’ve allowed me to share the platform. I’m going to cry in the car, but I’m not going to cry now,” Sharpe told Bayless.
“The opportunity that you gave me, to become what I became, I’m forever indebted to you. I’ll never forget what you did for me. You’ve helped me grow more than you’ll ever know. One more thing before you go, Skip. All I ask, is when you lay your head on that pillow at night, know I gave you everything I had, I gave you everything I had.”
Bayless was also thankful for the seven years that Sharpe devoted to the show. He also complimented Sharpe on his work ethic and overall sports knowledge, which made for spirited and entertaining debates.
“The greatest compliment I can give you is you were a worthy adversary.”
