Tensions flared between Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless during Monday morning’s episode of “Undisputed.”
Bayless, as he does at every turn, went to bat for Tom Brady, whose Tampa Bay Buccaneers were demolished by the Brock Purdy-led San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday. But instead of keeping his arguments to the players on the field, Bayless looped Sharpe into the discussion and took ricochet shots at his co-host. Bayless pointed out Sharpe retired from the NFL at 35, a decade younger than Brady’s current age, and stressed the legendary quarterback is a better player than the former tight end was, even though neither note was relevant to the debate.
These unnecessary barbs didn’t sit well with Sharpe, who proceeded to put Bayless on blast.
“That’s what you do. Every time I call something into question, I’m jealous,” Sharpe said on FS1. “Skip, I did what I did. You make it seem like I was a bum. I’m in the effing Hall of Fame. I got three Super Bowls. You take personal shots. You would take a personal shot at me to say this man is better than me because I say he’s playing bad this year? You would disrespect me to support him?”
Sharpe’s retort is more than fair. Whether Bayless wants to admit it or not, Brady and the Bucs haven’t been a good football team for most of the season and there’s a very real chance they miss the playoffs. Criticism for the seven-time Super Bowl champion is warranted, even though he’s probably not near the top of Tampa Bay’s problems list.
In any event, Bayless should cherish these next few weeks, which might prove to be Brady’s last in the NFL. That’s far from a guarantee, though, as the 45-year-old reportedly will enter the offseason with a completely open mind.
