Sterling Sharpe becomes first Gamecock inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame

CANTON, OHIO — The NFL preseason officially started on Thursday, July 31 with its annual Hall of Fame game. The game is the kickoff to the official Hall of Fame weekend in Canton, Ohio and more importantly. the ceremony that took place on Saturday, August 2nd. Gamecocks’ fans got a chance to see one of their own get a gold jacket. Former Gamecocks’ wide receiver Sterling Sharpe is officially apart of a special group that only your talent can put you in.

Sharpe’s NFL career was short lived due to a neck injury that forced him to retire in 1994, but he was electric on the field for the Gamecocks and the Green Bay Packers. He set the school record for receptions(169), single season receiving yards(1,106) and career receiving yards(2,497) while at South Carolina. He also was a two-time all-American and has his no.2 jersey retired.

Sharpe was the seventh overall pick in the 1988 NFL Draft and played seven seasons. He finished his career with 595 catches, 8,312 yards and 65 touchdowns. He also was a triple crown receiver during his career in 1992 by leading the NFL in receptions, yards and touchdowns that season. Jerry Rice was the only receiver from 1988-1994 to have more receptions and receiving touchdowns than Sharpe during that span.

His long awaited, 25 years to be exact, Hall of Fame induction finally came. His career ended prematurely when a neck injury late in the 1994 season required fusion surgery on his C1 and C2 vertebrae

Sharpe became the first Gamecock inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was apart the first ever brothers to be inducted.

“God has smiled on me,” Sharpe said. “Every time I speak publicly, every time I get out of bed, every time I go to bed, I say this: This is my life. There are many lives here, but this one is mine. There’s a lot reasons why these great players are able to sit and wear this gold jacket that I have. Some of them it’s blood. Some of them it’s sweat. Jared [Allen] said fear. I stand before you today as the 382nd member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame because of love. You see, you have to learn to follow before you can lead.”

Sharpe also dedicated his induction into the Hall of Fame to his brother, Shannon Sharpe. The two shared a special moment and some heart felt words during his speech.

“The only reason I’m standing here, the only reason I told all those stories, everything I did athletically, everything I did for an audience of one,” Sharpe said. “I didn’t care what was written, said, thought, talked about, prayed about. Everything I did was for an audience of one. You see when you grow up in rural south Georgia, it’s hard to find heroes, and I didn’t want this person of mine to look outside our own dinner table to find a role model.

“As one half of the first runner selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, you’ve got to come up here and stand next to me[speaking to Shannon], my man,” Sterling Sharpe said.

He also gave his gold jacket to his brother to return the love and appreciation. Shannon gave Sterling his first Super Bowl ring that he earned while being a member of the Denver Broncos.

“I wear this ring because of love,” Sterling Sharpe said.