Sports analysts were taken off guard by Shannon Sharpe’s impending retirement from Fox Sports after the current NBA Finals, according to a report by Ryan Glasspiegel in The Post. Sharpe and Fox Sports announced an agreement to acquire the “Undisputed” co-host after tensions between Sharpe and former NFL player Skip Bayless became increasingly apparent during broadcasts. Bayless is set to end his tenure after the 2023 NBA finals. Chris Broussard and Rob Parker, who have been hosting Fox Sports Radio’s “The Odds,” expressed their surprise and sadness over Sharpe’s departure, saying that it was a huge loss for FS1.
During the show, Broussard and Parker also noted their observations about the friction between Sharpe and Bayless. They said that the incident that caused the two to break up came in December 2022 when Bayless compared Sharpe to Tom Brady and claimed that he was jealous of him. Sharpe took offense and removed his glasses, causing Bayless to ask him to put them back on. From there, the disagreement only escalated.
Despite their surprise, Broussard and Parker praised Sharpe’s professionalism and expressed interest in where he would end up next, saying there would be many suitors for his talents. Sharpe has created his own brand and following, making him a valuable acquisition for any network.