Ex-NFL star named as potential replacement for Shannon Sharpe at ESPN

Shannon Sharpe’s tenure with ESPN ended before it really had a chance to get started, and a fellow former NFL star who is close to him has been mentioned as a potential replacement.

Sharpe has been fired by ESPN less than two weeks after he settled his lawsuit with Gabriella Zuniga, a woman who accused him of sexual misconduct. Sharpe had been considered a huge addition to “First Take” alongside Stephen A. Smith, as he had previously built up a huge following by co-hosting FS1’s “Undisputed” with Skip Bayless.

Sharpe also has two successful podcasts: “Club Shay Shay” and “Nightcap.” He co-hosts the latter with Chad Johnson. The former NFL star wide receiver also makes regular appearances on “Club Shay Shay.”

In a story he published on Thursday, Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports floated the possibility of ESPN hiring Johnson. A source with knowledge of the dynamic between Sharpe and ESPN suggested hiring Johnson would be a “smart idea,” as it might help ESPN retain some of Sharpe’s audience.

ESPN is said to be undecided about whether to pursue Johnson.

Johnson spent a decade with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2001-2010. He also played for the New England Patriots for a brief period in 2011. Johnson had six straight seasons with 1,000-plus yards at one point and was known as much for his quirky personality as his Pro Bowl ability.

Johnson, 47, has had some great interactions with fans over the years, which is why he is a natural fit for a media role. The question is whether he is content simply doing his own thing or if a network like ESPN would have enough interest to make it worth his while.

Sharpe addressed his dismissal from ESPN during his podcast on Wednesday night. He said he has one major issue with the way the split played out.