Before he was a Hall of Famer, sports commentator, and three-time Super Bowl winner, Shannon Sharpe was merely a youngster with big dreams and few accolades. It is not a tale that starts at a football power or one that is embellished with five-star ratings.
No, Sharpe began in comparative anonymity—at a tiny HBCU hidden in Savannah, Ga. What he did there converted skeptics into believers and set the stage for one of the greatest underdog stories in NFL history.
Where Did Shannon Sharpe Attend College?
Sharpe went to college at Savannah State University between 1986 and 1989. Not highly sought after out of Glennville High School in Georgia, he wasn’t recruited by the big-name schools because they didn’t want his lanky body or felt that he was just an okay runner.
However, Savannah State, a historically Black Division II school, decided to take him in—and Sharpe took full advantage.
Over the course of his four-year college career, Sharpe reeled in 192 catches for 3,744 yards and 40 touchdowns in only 39 games. In his final season alone, he recorded incredible statistics: 61 receptions for 1,312 yards and 18 touchdowns, guiding the Tigers to an 8-1 record.
That performance led to him earning several accolades, including SIAC Player of the Year in 1989 and a visit to two of the most renowned postseason games—the East-West Shrine Game and the Blue-Gray Football Classic. These visits were particularly notable as very few HBCU players received invitations to such exhibitions during this period.
Sharpe’s achievements also included being placed on the Division II All-American team and ultimately having his jersey retired at Savannah State. Despite his voluminous college output, NFL scouts were unconvinced. He was too small to play tight end and too slow to play wide receiver in their eyes—a prototypical example of being caught between positions.
In spite of the skepticism, the Denver Broncos gambled on Sharpe in the seventh round of the 1990 NFL Draft with a 192nd pick. It was hardly a flash-in-the-pan moment, but to Sharpe, it meant everything.
Sharpe’s transition to the NFL was not a smooth one. Initially attempted at wide receiver, Sharpe had trouble gaining traction. But when Denver shifted him to tight end after his third season, the makeover began.
Sharpe continued on to play 14 seasons of Hall of Fame quality—12 with the Broncos and two with the Baltimore Ravens. He had 815 receptions for 10,060 yards and 62 touchdowns and became the first tight end in NFL history to reach 10,000 yards.
His credentials consist of eight Pro Bowl invitations, four First-team All-Pro selections, and three Super Bowl championships (two with Denver, one with Baltimore).
In 2011, Sharpe was made a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In his speech, he honored his brother, Sterling Sharpe, a retired NFL star as well, and stated his success was as much his family’s as it was his.
A Legacy Beyond the Numbers
Shannon Sharpe’s college origins at Savannah State University remain an inspiration and point of pride—not just for the institution but for small-program athletes everywhere. His tale defies convention and shows that greatness has no ZIP code.
It’s not just for SEC programs or five-star players. At times, it is merely a matter of a strong work ethic, a refusal to give up, and a need to make those in doubt eat their words.
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Sharpe’s success put HBCU football programs in the national spotlight, reinforcing the fact that talent is everywhere in this country. Now, he’s not only a Hall of Famer; he’s a media giant with a sharp tongue, a sharper wit, and the credibility to speak from experience. And he never forgets where it all started.
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