Shannon Sharpe has issued a mea culpa after the three-time Super Bowl champion mistakenly broadcast an intimate moment to his 3M Instagram followers.
Speaking on his Nightcap show, the ESPN presenter said he was “embarassed” by the mishap and it fell below the standards of professionalism he sets for himself.
Sharpe went live on Instagram on Wednesday with a minute-and-a-half long video that featured audio of a unknown woman apparently moaning in pleasure. The video did not depict the intimate act.
Sharpe initially claimed that his Instagram had been hacked, but later admitted on the Nightcap that the video was his error.
“I came in, I threw my phone on the bed, engaged in an activity. I did not know IG Live. I’ve never been on IG Live, I’ve never turned IG Live on, so I don’t know how it works,” Sharpe explained. He added that his assistant accessed his Instagram account and shut off the video.
Sharpe said he only realized what had happened when he later picked up the phone to his marketing representative, who revealed that he had streamed the intimate act live to his millions of followers.
“My heart sank,” Sharpe said. “I called my agent, I called the agency, I called ESPN and I [thought] just tell them the truth. My phone wasn’t hacked, it wasn’t a prank, it was me being a healthy, active male.”
Sharpe said he was “very dissapointed in myself” and that he had “let a lot of people down.” He added: “Obbiousy, I’m embarassed. [I’m] someone that is extremely, extremely private and to have one of your most intimate details be audio heard for the entire world to hear, I’m embarassed”
Sharpe was roasted on social media over the incident and reposted a number of tweets making fun of the mishap. This included a post from former ESPN host Michelle Beadle, who wrote: “It was not me.”
Sharpe signed a multi-year contract with ESPN in June. Under the deal, Sharpe expanded his role on First Take, ESPN’s morning debate show featuring Stephen A. Smith and host Molly Qerim. Sharpe joined the show in August 2023.