After Richard Sherman was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, Shannon Sharpe is extremely disappointed in his Undisputed successor.
According to the Washington State Patrol, Sherman was arrested early Saturday morning and booked around 4am after Trooper Jordan Hazzard-Thomas noticed “the odor of intoxicants” on the former NFL cornerback during a traffic stop for speeding. Sherman is currently an analyst for Amazon’s Thursday Night Football broadcasts on Prime Video and is signed to work 50-100 shows a year on FS1’s Undisputed.
Sharpe addressed Sherman’s arrest on the latest episode of his Nightcap podcast. According to Sharpe, he used to speak with Sherman when the retired cornerback was still playing about how to handle certain situations.
Sharpe similarly advised Sherman when the former cornerback landed at FS1 last summer to join Skip Bayless on Undisputed. Sherman, Keyshawn Johnson, and Michael Irvin were the three biggest personalities tasked with replacing Sharpe on Undisputed when Bayless decided to take the show in a new direction.
“When he took the job at FS1, I talked to him occasionally about what to expect and how to prepare and how to become great,” Sharpe recalled. “Because I said, ‘I believe you want to be great just like you were when you played the cornerback position.’ So, this is really tough for me.”
In March 2022, Sherman pled guilty to first-degree negligent driving, second-degree criminal trespass, and speeding in a construction zone, stemming from an incident that took place in July 2021. The guilty plea led Sherman to receive a 90-day suspended sentence and two years of monitored supervision, which has not expired yet.
“For Sherm to put himself back in harm’s way and to potentially bring others, that’s what I’m most disappointed in. Because he knows better,” Sharpe continued. “You brought every other car that’s on the road into the equation. We always say what didn’t happen, but then when it does happen, ‘Thoughts and prayers.’ Thoughts and prayers ain’t help nobody. I know Sherm. And I just hate that he put himself back in this situation.”
“Take time, get this problem solved, bro. Because you’re better than this,” Sharpe added of Sherman. “You have a lot to give, and I would hate to see you really, really, not only hurt yourself, but harm someone else. Right now, your television career should be the last thing on your mind. The first thing that should be on your mind is getting the help that you need so you can be there for your family.”
Undisputed returned from a one-week break Monday morning, and Skip Bayless did not address Sherman’s absence or his future with the show.
[Nightcap]
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com