TV free agent Shannon Sharpe joins Colin Cowherd's podcast network

Much has been made about Sharpe's media future since leaving "Undisputed" after the NBA Finals back in June. He's been connected to "First Take" recently, with a report last week claiming that he would return to the ESPN debate show to work with Stephen A. Smith. He was also rumored to take the place of Pat McAfree for FanDuel after the former punter-turned-media star opted out of his four-year contract with the sports betting firm to work exclusively for ESPN starting this fall.

In the meantime, "Undisputed" has taken a new shape, seemingly away from the heavy one-on-one debate format to one with a rolling roster of contributors working with Bayless. Rachel Nichols, Richard Sherman and rap superstar Lil Wayne have signed on to the revamped show, which is set to return at the end of August. However, reports that Keyshawn Johnson, the former NFL wide receiver and ESPN host, was also joining the show have been denied.

Sharpe is one the few former NFL players whose personality on the field has successfully extended into the media realm. Known for being one of the more quotable and loquacious players of his era, his brash persona has fit quite well for an audience even more accepting of quick soundbites from colorful personalities.

Yet his clashes with Bayless were rooted in far more than the usual debates about on-field matters, but some severity as they related to the way athletes are treated by media members and fans. His anger regarding Bayless's tweet about Damar Hamlin's collapse during the Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals in January was the final straw in their increasingly acrimonious relationship.

Bringing his show to The Volume doesn't necessarily mean that he's going to joust with Cowherd to the same degree. "Club Shay Shay" is less about debates and more focused on interviewing people who intrigue him in and outside of sports, most especially Black celebrities and celebrities of color.