Notes & Quotes: Shannon Sharpe

Shannon Sharpe is the fourth long-time member of the Denver Broncos to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Notes:

Sharpe had 7 catches for 101 yards and 3 TDs to help the Denver Broncos to a convincing 37-8 win over the San Diego Chargers at Invesco Field at Mile High on Nov. 16, 2003. His last TD of the day, a 26-yarder from QB Jake Plummer late in the third quarter, was the 61st of his career which set a new NFL record for career TD receptions by a tight end. It broke the mark previously owned by Jerry Smith of the Washington Redskins.

Two of Sharpe's more memorable days came in playoff games against the Raiders. He set the playoff record for most receptions in a game when he had 13 catches for 156 yards and 1 TD for the Denver Broncos against the L.A. Raiders on Jan. 6, 1993. That reception total remains tied for the most ever in a playoff game. Then, as a member of the Baltimore Ravens, he hauled in a 96-yard TD reception that helped lead the Ravens to a 16-3 win over the Oakland Raiders in the 2000 AFC Championship Game. Today, his TD catch remains the longest ever in a postseason game.

Sharpe retired with 19 career 100-yard receiving games. His lone 200-yard receiving effort came against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Oct. 20, 2002. He registered 12 catches for 214 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Denver's 37-34 overtime victory. His two scores both came in the second half. The first was an 82-yard touchdown that tied the game at 13-13 early in the third quarter. His second TD catch came on a 28-yard reception in the fourth quarter.

Three times in a four-year span Shannon called himself a world champion. In the 1997 and 1998 seasons he won back-to-back Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos, while adding another Super Bowl title with the Baltimore Ravens in the 2000 NFL season.

Beginning with the Dec. 27, 1997 AFC Wild Card victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars and finishing with an AFC Wild Card victory over the Miami Dolphins on Jan. 13, 2002, Sharpe won 12 consecutive playoff games, an NFL record since the 1970 merger.

Sharpe recorded 50 or more catches in a season 11 times during his 14-year career. He had three seasons where he caught 80 passes or more and three times in four years (1994-97) he racked up 1,000 yards.

Nine times during Shannon’s regular season career he scored multiple touchdowns in a game. The teams’ record in those games was 8-1. He posted a total of 978 yards on 73 receptions and scored 21 touchdowns in those nine games.

Quotes:

"I am thrilled for Shannon Sharpe on his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It's great to see another Bronco in the Hall of Fame and part of the club. It's a well-deserved honor, and I'm proud of him. This caps off a tremendous football career by a guy who truly was self-made and worked his tail off to become one of the best players in the history of the NFL." – John Elway, Denver Broncos Executive Vice President of Football Operations and Hall of Fame quarterback

"I'm just a skinny kid from Glennville, Georgia, 3,500 people, two traffic lights, going to the Hall of Fame. Trust me, I don't get lost for words very often, but this has got me baffled." – Shannon Sharpe

"This is a great day for Shannon Sharpe individually as well as for the Denver Broncos' entire organization and our fans. Shannon has made immeasurable contributions to this franchise and the NFL, and he deservedly will take his place among the greatest to play this game in the Pro Football Hall of Fame." – Pat Bowlen, Denver Broncos owner and CEO

"When I first got into the league, everybody wanted a 270-pound, 280-pound tight end that could dominate the line of scrimmage. Everybody wanted to run the football, and if you caught 15, 20 passes in a season that was icing on the cake. Then all of a sudden when Dan Reeves used me at H-back, motioned me out, lined me up in the slot, put me out wide - all of a sudden teams said, 'We have to get us one of those Shannon Sharpes.'" – Shannon Sharpe

"When you least expected it, as he called himself -- 'Big Game James' - was going to get you." He'd find a way to make a big catch, get a first down and keep the sticks moving. He used to always say, 'If we move the sticks, we'll get six.' He was the master at that." – Rod Smith, former Denver Broncos wide receiver

“I had the great pleasure of being Shannon Sharpe’s teammate for five years. I saw Shannon build himself from a talented but extremely raw rookie to arguably the best tight end ever to play football.” – Karl Mecklenburg, former Denver Broncos linebacker