On Tuesday, ESPN analyst Domonique Foxworth took a playful yet brutal jab at Shannon Sharpe, poking fun at the former NFL star’s recent Instagram Live mishap. The lighthearted trolling occurred during a segment of First Take, following a rather embarrassing moment for Sharpe last week, when he accidentally broadcasted a private moment live on Instagram.
Last Wednesday, after finishing his usual appearance on First Take, Sharpe unintentionally went live on Instagram during what appeared to be an intimate moment. Although the video showed nothing explicit, the audio left little to the imagination. As soon as the live stream began, Sharpe’s phone fell away, preventing viewers from seeing anything clearly. The awkwardness of the situation quickly spread across social media, leaving Sharpe to address the situation later.
Sharpe came forward shortly after the incident, admitting that the Instagram Live video was not the result of a hack or prank. Instead, he explained that it was an honest mistake, made because of his lack of technological savvy. “I accidentally hit the buttons to go live without realizing it,” Sharpe clarified.
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Five days after the incident, Sharpe returned to ESPN on Monday, facing his colleagues and the public eye once again. It didn’t take long for the topic to be teased. Just 24 hours later, during a discussion about the Carolina Panthers benching quarterback Bryce Young, Sharpe joked about his physical condition. “If you give me three months, Stephen A., and my hips hold up, I might play two or three games at tight end for him,” Sharpe quipped.
Foxworth, a former NFL cornerback and fellow ESPN personality, wasted no time in taking a light-hearted shot at Sharpe, replying, “I think your hips are fine,” in reference to the Instagram incident. The dig drew laughs from the audience, and Foxworth later took to social media to comment on his joke, tweeting, “I mean… I had to, right?”
While Sharpe hasn’t directly addressed the mishap on-air, he has provided more details about the incident during his Nightcap show, where he co-hosts with former NFL wide receiver Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson. On that special episode, Sharpe explained that he didn’t personally stop the live stream; instead, someone from his team intervened to cut it off.
“I’m embarrassed for a number of reasons,” Sharpe admitted. “People count on Shannon to be professional, even when I’m behind closed doors. I’m very disappointed in myself—not for the act, but for how it happened. There are millions of people who engage in consenting activities, but I didn’t mean for anyone to hear that.”
Sharpe also confessed that the aftermath of the incident had a deep emotional impact on him, saying that it made him cry. Despite the embarrassment, Sharpe tried to handle the situation with humor and grace, even acknowledging that he learned a lesson: “From now on, every time I have an intimate moment, my phone’s staying in the car.”
Interestingly, the controversy surrounding Sharpe didn’t stop his brand from capitalizing on the attention. For a brief time, Sharpe’s “EIGHTYFOUR” brand released a limited-edition shirt emblazoned with the phrase “69 Michelle,” a nod to the unfortunate mishap.
Adding to the irony, during the special Nightcap episode, one of the advertisements that played just before Sharpe’s confession was for a product Sharpe endorses—Ro Sparks, a pill aimed at enhancing intimacy and spontaneity.
Though the situation was certainly embarrassing for Sharpe, he seems to have taken it in stride, handling both the jokes from his colleagues and his personal feelings with honesty.
As for Domonique Foxworth’s playful jab, it’s likely to be just the first of many as Sharpe moves forward and tries to put the accidental Instagram Live moment behind him.
