When will Shannon Sharpe debut on First Take? All you need to know about Hall of Famer's new job
When Shannon Sharpe left 'Undisputed' earlier this summer, fans speculated about where the former NFL star would end up. Some pressured 'First Take' to sign him up as a full-time addition to the debate crew as soon as possible. Stephen A. Smith revealed at the time that he was interested in having the former tight end on the program on a limited basis.
On August 24, speaking on First Take, Stephen A. Smith confirmed that Sharpe would join his show and gave some details on the timing of the addition.
"It is official, Shannon Sharpe is coming to 'First Take'," Smith said.
Smith announced that the former tight end would be joining the show on Monday, September 4, 2023. He'll be on the program on Monday and Tuesday of every week. He will appear on the show at the end of every football week to react to the games taking place on Sundays and Mondays.
Smith was clear that the addition didn't mean that First Take would cut ties with any current crew members, going as far as to name who will still be around. Everyone, including Dan Orlovsky, Kimberley A. Martin, Marcus Spears, and Ryan Clark, will still make regular appearances.
Shannon Sharpe headlines 2023's broadcast changeup
Last year, the most significant change from the media side of sports was the shifting of commentators between the networks. Al Michaels, Joe Buck, and Troy Aikman were among those who swapped networks. This year, ESPN made a gargantuan move to downsize its sports coverage operation, cutting ties with numerous televised personalities.
A few of those personalities joined Skip Bayless' on Undisputed. Keyshawn Johnson and Michael Irvin are reportedly set to join Richard Sherman as the replacements for Shannon Sharpe on the program. Sharpe also teamed up with the 'Club Shay Shay' podcast. The audio program will now debut on 'The Volume,' the network that also carries the 'Colin Cowherd Podcast.'
While the live broadcasts will mostly remain intact from 2022, the third-party coverage of the sport has taken the brunt of the changes. With so much shuffling happening this offseason, fans can only wonder which changes will survive into 2024 and give the programs a try.