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Shannon Sharpe built a legendary legacy on the football field. A three-time Super Bowl champion, an eight-time Pro Bowler (the equivalent of an NBA All-Star), a four-time First-Team All-Pro and a member of the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team, the tight end was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as one of the finest to ever play the position.
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All of that earned him Hall of Fame status as one of the best players in the history of the sport. At the time of his retirement, Sharpe was the NFL’s all-time leader among tight ends in receptions (815), receiving yards (10,060), and receiving touchdowns (62), until Tony Gonzalez later surpassed him in all three categories.
The Denver Broncos icon thus enjoyed mega-popular star status during his playing days. However, even he, as a top-tier figure in one of the most popular sports on American soil, was aware that when it came to women, competing with NBA players was out of the question.
“Back in the day, before I got saved, if she told me she talked to a basketball or an MLB player, you out of there. I can’t work with you. Rent too high. I can’t afford you,” Sharpe joked on his podcast.
“You ain’t got it. I ain’t got it. Ain’t no sense of me lying. Ain’t no sense of me trying to front on them. I ain’t going to lie, baby. Hey, just go back with your ex. Find you another baseball or NBA player. Hey, I ain’t got it. I had three small kids. I ain’t got it. I couldn’t do it.”
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NBA money is different
During his 14-year Hall of Fame career, the Illinois native earned a little over $22 million, which was exceptional money for that time, though incomparable to some of today’s contracts.
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Though the NFL’s revenue has skyrocketed over the years, the economic gap between NBA and NFL players remains vast. The most obvious driver is schedule volume: NBA players play at least 82 regular-season games, with some even reaching 100, including playoffs, compared to 17 regular-season games in the NFL.
Also, some key differences that should be highlighted are the fact that every NBA player’s contract is 100 percent fully guaranteed, whereas in the NFL, they are only partially guaranteed through signing bonuses and the fixed portion.
In the NBA, the average salary hovers around $10 million per year, while the NFL average is significantly lower due to much larger roster sizes. Although top-tier NFL superstars like Patrick Mahomes can earn on par with basketball icons like Stephen Curry, on average, the NFL lags far behind the NBA in player compensation.
Sharpe delivered his story with his trademark humor, making light of the intimidating lifestyle expectations that came with dating someone used to NBA money. His point, however, was crystal clear: when basketball stars enter the chat, the financial bar gets raised to a whole new level.
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This story was originally published September 13, 2026 at 10:03 AM.