Shannon Sharpe isn’t just one of the most decorated football players of all time — since 2017, he has also become one of the most prominent and entertaining sports TV personalities. Whether going head-to-head with Skip Bayless or Stephen A. Smith, Sharpe has carved out his own niche in sports media.
A big reason for his success on “Undisputed” and “First Take” is the unique personality he brings to the forefront. It’s no coincidence that there’s hardly another former player like him in the industry.
How Shannon Sharpe Crafted His On-Screen Personality
During his time at Fox Sports, Sharpe made it clear that he watches games without commentary. He wanted to ensure his opinions weren’t influenced by outside voices.
That tradition has continued in his transition to ESPN. On a recent episode of the Club Shay Shay podcast, stand-up comedian and influencer Andrew Schulz brought up Sharpe’s unique approach and asked the Hall of Fame tight end to explain.
“I don’t watch sports with the sound. I don’t want them to influence what I’m gonna say. So when I’m watching a football game, there’s no sound,” Sharpe said. Schulz found the idea fascinating, relating it to his own creative process.
"This is so interesting. … @ShannonSharpe, this a problem, bro. So you're watching Severance with no sound?" – @andrewschulz pic.twitter.com/Q1AdfZXahj
— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) March 17, 2025
“When I’m creating a set, I don’t watch any standup. When I’m creating my hour, I don’t watch because I don’t want it to influence me at all. Wow. So now you know when you go up that night and you say something — if Stephen A. said something similar, you both know it came from the heart.”
As someone in the entertainment industry, Schulz was thoroughly impressed with Sharpe’s approach.
“That is a great idea. Because it sucks when you have a reaction, and then you see someone else having the same one, like, ‘But I organically thought of that.'”
For Sharpe, it’s all about forming his own conclusions about the game. But then he revealed something even more surprisingv — he watches everything in complete silence, with no background music or podcasts. Schulz jokingly compared it to something a serial killer would do.
Then, the three-time Super Bowl champion dropped an even bigger bombshell.
“It’s gotten so bad, I watch all the stuff like that now. I watch regular TV like that.”
When confronted, he admitted he doesn’t even turn on subtitles.
That left Schulz baffled.
“Shannon, this is a problem, bro. There are storylines and dialogue — they’re very important. So you’re watching Severance with no sound?” Schulz said, referring to the hit Apple TV+ show.