Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe on First TakeStephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe (Photo via @awfulannouncing/X)
Shannon Sharpe waxed lyrical over his appreciation for Stephen A. Smith following the announcement of his extension with ESPN on Tuesday.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer has agreed to a multi-year deal with The Worldwide Leader in Sports.

The development was announced in a network press release today.

“Being a part of this family has been a blessing,” Sharpe said. “Everything about this relationship with ESPN, Stephen A., and First Take, has been tremendous. I look forward to expanding my role and showing more of the world what I have to offer. The show goes on!”

The former NFL tight end also thanked his colleagues at ‘First Take’ during the show but reserved special thanks for Stephen A. Smith, who he credited for having his back during the lowest point in his life.

You can take a listen below:

 

Shannon Sharpe joined ESPN on a short-term contract last August, which required him to appear on the network’s flagship show on Mondays and Tuesdays during the NFL and college football seasons.

He signed an extension to remain on for the rest of the NBA season back in February.

Shannon Sharpe Has Enjoyed A Lot Of Success Since Leaving FS1

Sharpe’s arrival at ESPN came after a seven-year stint as co-host of FS1’s ‘Undisputed’ alongside Skip Bayless.

The two fell out last year before FS1 agreed to buy Sharpe out.

The three-time Super Bowl champion also hosts two very successful shows, ‘Club Shay Shay’ and ‘Nightcap. ‘ On the former, he interviews a different guest every episode and talks sports with former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson and ex-NBA guard Gilbert Arenas on the latter.

VIDEO: Molly Qerim’s Provocative Skin-Tight Outfit Had Shannon Sharpe Ready To Risk It All On ‘First Take’

Photos of Shannon Sharpe and Molly Qerim from 'First Take'Shannon Sharpe and Molly Qerim (Photos via ESPN/YouTube)
Molly Qerim’s outfit had ‘First Take’ colleague Shannon Sharpe stuttering and ready to risk it all during a recent episode.

Molly, Shannon, and Stephen A. Smith usually joke about their outfits with each other to start the show. Most of the time, Smith is the one on the receiving end, with Sharpe taking a crack from time to time.

However, in this particular episode, Qerim was the one catching the attention. The ESPN show host wore a red, skintight dress that had her coworkers comparing her to Captain Marvel and Elasticgirl, all while biting their tongues.

Sharpe also wondered whether she got dressed up for a man, asking her what was really going on.

Check it out below:

The fact that he had to hold back wasn’t lost on viewers.

“Shannon was one gear away from being shifted out of a job,” one wrote in the comments.

“When you can’t keep yourself from complimenting but you also know HR watching,” another wrote.

“Shannon thought he was Hosting Club Shay Shay then had to reel it back,” one person added.

“Lmfao they both ready to risk it all at any moment,” another joked.

A flushed Molly Qerim said she would just take it as a way of them saying they liked her outfit.

‘First Take’ Has Been Hitting Record Numbers Since Shannon Sharpe Arrived

‘First Take’ has been doing some numbers since bringing Sharpe in last year. His former show, ‘Undisputed,’ has cratered since his departure.

“First Take reached another major viewership milestone in 2023. Featured commentator and executive producer Stephen A. Smith and host Molly Qerim marked the show’s most-watched year ever, averaging 496,000 viewers,” The Worldwide Leader in Sports announced in December.

“In Dec., the show’s impressive streak of year-over-year viewership growth reached 17 consecutive months. First Take averaged 611,000 viewers in Dec., the show’s second most-watched month on record, up 24 percent year over year.”

Meanwhile, Sharpe recently landed himself a multi-year deal with the network, while his personal shows, ‘Club Shay Shay’ and ‘Nightcap’ are also two of the most-watched online.