Who Is Shannon Sharpe Dating? A Look Into the NFL Legend’s Love Life

Football legend turned podcaster Shannon Sharpe found himself in a bit of controversy on Sept. 11. The Club Shay Shay host surprised his 3.2 million Instagram followers with a Live Session that included much more than anyone bargained for. Shannon was engaged in sexual intercourse. And while the image was obstructed, the audio was not – allowing fans to listen to the former athlete’s escapade in real-time.

Moments after the session ended, a message was posted to Shannon’s Instagram Story suggesting his account was hacked. However, he later fessed up to the incident – apologizing for the embarrassing moment. “I called my agent, I called the agency, I called ESPN and I [thought] just tell them the truth,” Shannon said during an episode of his Nightcap podcast. “My phone wasn’t hacked, it wasn’t a prank, it was me being a healthy, active male.”

Shannon, who is best known for his legendary NFL career with the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens, said the livestream incident occurred after he accidentally triggered Instagram Live. As he became occupied, Shannon says he wasn’t aware that his private audio was being shared publicly until he noticed his other phone blowing up with notifications. The incident has sparked interest in Shannon’s dating life, and the unidentified woman from the video.

Following his accidental Instagram Live session, Shannon Sharpe apologized for exposing more of his personal life than he wanted to. “Obviously, I’m embarrassed,” Shannon said on Nightcap. “[I’m] someone that is extremely, extremely private and to have one of your most intimate details be audio heard for the entire world to hear, I’m embarrassed.”

Now, fans of the former athlete are interested in uncovering the identity of the woman who was not visible on-screen. Some viewers believe that Shannon can be heard saying “that’s my Michelle,” which prompted an online investigation. Internet sleuths then connect the name to a woman that Shannon follows – although he has not confirmed the woman’s identity. ESPN host Michelle Beadle also got in on the fun. She tweeted, “It was not me.”

Ultimately, the woman has not been identified. Shannon typically keeps his personal life private, and he has not spoken publicly about his love life – even prior to the Instagram Live incident. It is currently unclear who Shannon is dating, although he does have three adult children from previous relationships.

Following Shannon’s social media scandal, ESPN announced that the former football star will not be disciplined. Shannon was noticeably absent from First Take, and fans feared the worst.

“If y’all can keep Dana White for slapping his wife on ESPN then yall can keep Shannon Sharpe,” one fan tweeted. While another wrote, “ESPN better leave Unc alone HE INNOCENT. He don’t know how to use Internet!”