Shannon Sharpe Open to ESPN Return

Shannon Sharpe, the Pro Football Hall of Famer and former ESPN analyst, expressed openness to returning to the network in a recent interview, nearly a year after his departure amid a legal settlement.

Speaking with Front Office Sports at Radio Row during Super Bowl week in February 2026, Sharpe said he would welcome a reunion if ESPN executives decided to bring him back. "That's not my call, but I would love to go back if they were to call," Sharpe said. "Burke Magnus, Jimmy Pitaro, Dave Roberts. That is their call. But obviously, I'm more than willing, I'm more than capable." He highlighted the success of his podcasts, Nightcap with co-host Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson and Club Shay Shay, which he said regularly rank in YouTube's top 20 shows. "Club Shay Shay was in the Top 10 this weekend on YouTube," Sharpe noted. "Both of our shows are normally in the Top 20. Very few people can say they have a Top 20 show. So clearly, I still have a fan base. I still have a big following. If a reunion is in order, I'm amenable to it."

The comments came shortly after Sharpe reunited with his former First Take co-host Stephen A. Smith for a live episode of Nightcap, underscoring their ongoing...