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“It Took a Lot for Me Not to Put My Hands on Him, It Actually Did” – Shannon Sharpe Opens up on His Controversial Exit From Undisputed Post a Nasty Fall Out With Skip Bayless

Published 09/24/2023, 9:01 AM EDT

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Shannon Sharpe admitted he had to hold back from throwing punches. The former co-host of the popular sports talk show “Undisputed” alongside Skip Bayless, bid farewell to the show in June 2023. But what led to this abrupt departure, and was it all about Tom Brady?

On September 22, during an episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, tensions flared as Sharpe revealed that restraint was a necessity in his interactions with Bayless. This confession provided a glimpse into the underlying issues that eventually drove Sharpe away from “Undisputed.” The aftermath of his exit forced the show into a two-month hiatus for a significant overhaul.

Inside the mind of Shannon Sharpe when Bayless’ jabs hit hard

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The spark that ignited the fire was Bayless boldly asserted that Brady was a better football player than Sharpe had ever been, triggering Sharpe’s accusations of a personal attack. “He’s still playing at a high level at 45 when you had to stop at 35, that’s the point,” Bayless declared during an “Undisputed” segment in December 2022.

Sharpe’s recent response on The Stephen A. Smith Show was candid: “Why would I be jealous of Tom Brady? Tom was like me, given an opportunity, he made the most of that opportunity.” Sharpe, during a recent appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show, confessed to the intense inner turmoil he experienced when confronted by Bayless’ jabs.

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55-year-old Pro Football Hall of Fame recounted, “I remember going home, calling my sister, I called my brother, my homeboy, everybody had told him, he had raced home.” Sharpe added, “It took a lot from me, not to put my hands on him, it actually did.” After Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe split on ‘Undisputed.’ Bayless’ revelations hold surprising twists for many.

Is Skip Bayless’ praise for Shannon Sharpe the real deal?

In June, the sports world was rocked by the news of Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe’s breakup on ‘Undisputed.’ What Bayless had to say might surprise many. “I started thinking about me against an NFL Hall of Famer, instead of just a fellow journalist,” 71-year-old sports columnist Bayless reminisced. “Heck, I’m even going to miss that goat mask he used to wear after the odd, great LeBron game.”

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In the end, Sharpe bid a tearful farewell to their nearly seven years of partnership, it’s evident that their chemistry was undeniable. Bayless didn’t hold back in his praise for Sharpe, highlighting, “Shannon prepared hard, and on-air, Shannon competed even harder. Shannon never took a sick day. Shannon was never, ever late. You say, ‘Oh, that’s no big deal.’ No, it’s a huge deal to me.”

On September 4, NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe joined ‘First Take’ on ESPN, airing every Monday and Tuesday during football season with Stephen A. Smith and host Molly Qerim. Reports are pouring in, and it seems that ‘First Take’ is thriving post-Sharpe, with average viewership numbers hitting 626,000 on the first Monday after the NFL season and a whopping 717,000 on Tuesday.

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Only time will tell if this new dynamic will win over the hearts of sports enthusiasts, or if fans will forever reminisce about the fiery debates between Bayless and Sharpe.

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Written by:

Mohammad Asif Ansari

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Mohammad Asif Ansari is an NFL writer at EssentiallySports, with a passion for bringing sports news to life through engaging content. As an ardent sports fan, Ansari likes to cover core sports angles. His latest article, “Dallas Cowboys Reportedly Making It Difficult for Aaron Rodgers to Pursue His Dream Team” got a hoard of interested sports readers.
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