When former Green Bay Packers receiver Sterling Sharpe was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025, he made history. Along with his brother, Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, Sterling became one of the first siblings to be inducted into Canton.
In an even more memorable twist, it was Shannon—his younger brother—who broke the news to Sterling. A video posted on social media by CBS Sports captures the moment when Shannon surprised Sterling with the announcement. Sterling initially appeared confused about his brother’s unexpected visit.
“Welcome bro,” Shannon said. Sterling replied, “To your house?” before Shannon revealed that he was greeting him as a new member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The emotional exchange left both brothers visibly moved, with Sterling nearly at a loss for words. He began to speak, saying, “This is something I…” before pausing and adding, “Oh wow. I need a seat and a drink.”
Expressing his deep pride, Shannon told Sterling that even though he had experienced many incredible moments in his career, this was undoubtedly the proudest moment of his life.
Sterling expressed that he experienced the same overwhelming pride when Shannon was inducted into the Hall of Fame as he did when Shannon joined the Class of 2011. Sterling remarked, “I felt like that when you got in—and you know, I’m not usually one to cry, but when you announced your induction and that weekend in Canton, nothing could top that,” to which Shannon responded, “This tops it.”
Shannon, who is three years younger, acknowledged that his older brother had set the stage for him. Sterling, a South Carolina alumnus, was selected seventh overall in the 1988 NFL Draft by the Packers, where he played for seven seasons until a neck injury ended his career.
“The difference is, you had to do this uncharted. There was nobody to tell you what to do, how to do it. You had the hardest job,” Shannon said. “And because you didn’t have a guide, you didn’t have Google, you didn’t have MapQuest, you had to do it on your own. And you had to do it and be perfect because I was watching.”
“I’m happy, man, ’cause I finally get to follow you with something,” Sterling said.
During Thursday’s NFL Honors ceremony, Shannon introduced Sterling with a speech in which he called his brother his “hero.”
“You taught me everything I know about sports, and a lot about life,” Shannon said in the speech. “I never once lived in your shadow. I embraced it.”
Along with Sterling Sharpe, the Hall of Fame honored three other members of the Class of 2025: tight end Antonio Gates, defensive end Jared Allen and cornerback Eric Allen.
