Shannon Sharpe addressed the unexpected Instagram Live incident he experienced on Wednesday, where he unintentionally shared live audio of a sexual encounter with a woman to his 3.2 million followers. The Pro Football Hall of Famer and ESPN commentator clarified that his account had not been hacked, admitting that he was responsible for the broadcast.
Feeling embarrassed, Sharpe explained during an emergency segment of his “Nightcap” show, “Obviously, I am embarrassed. As someone who is very private, to have something so intimate exposed to the world is humiliating for multiple reasons.” He expressed disappointment in himself, not for the act itself, which many consenting adults engage in, but for the audio being made public, stating he has let down many who expect professionalism from him.
The incident went live on Instagram, capturing thousands of viewers tuning into the NSFW content as Sharpe engaged with an unknown woman. Initially, Sharpe posted on X claiming his account had been hacked but later deleted that statement, admitting his lack of understanding of social media technology led to the mishap.
“My phone wasn’t hacked. It wasn’t a prank, it was me being a healthy, active male,” he remarked, acknowledging that his phone had been thrown onto the bed while he was engaged in the activity. He credited his marketing partner, Jamie Fritz, for alerting him about the issue, and it took another individual to ultimately end the live stream.
Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, who has experienced Sharpe’s technological mishaps in the past, voiced his surprise and disappointment over the incident, especially after Sharpe previously critiqued his professionalism. Despite the seriousness of the situation, both men managed to inject humor into their discussions, with Sharpe even promoting a male enhancement product during the show.