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Winnipeg Free Press
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Sterling Sharpe hasn't fully embraced his selection into the Hall of Fame because of an eye issue
CANTON, Ohio (AP) — Maybe the magnitude of the accomplishment will hit Sterling Sharpe when he walks on stage Saturday and sees his bronze bust that will be displayed permanently in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The former Green Bay Packers star wide receiver will be enshrined into football immortality along with cornerback Eric Allen, defensive end Jared Allen and tight end Antonio Gates as the Class of 2025. But Sharpe hasn't been able to celebrate the honor fully because he's been dealing with problems in his right eye. He was still recovering from eye surgery when his brother, Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, informed him in front of television cameras that he was selected. 'I had a detached retina, so I was dealing with not being able to see,' Sterling Sharpe said Thursday. 'There's still a chance I won't be able to see out of my right eye, so for me, I never fully got involved in the process of joy and excitement and what it means and all that because if someone would've asked me when I had eye surgery in October: 'You get to choose. You can have sight and keep your right eye or you can be a Pro Football Hall of Famer.' I would've chosen sight and kept my right eye. 'So I never really in this journey got a chance because I've had four surgeries and just found out last week I have a hole in my retina, so I'm probably set up for another surgery, I never got the joy of being able to just deal with that because I've been dealing with surgeries, pressure, cataract, detached retina, torn retina, now a hole in my retina.' Health issues are nothing new for Sharpe. A neck injury cut short his NFL career after seven seasons, delaying his entry into the Hall of Fame because there always was the question of whether he played long enough. There's no disputing anymore. He's in. He'll receive his gold jacket on Friday night. Sharpe averaged 85 catches and 1,162 yards in his career, finishing with 65 touchdowns. He was named to five Pro Bowls and earned first-team All-Pro honors three times. Sharpe and his younger brother, who was inducted in 2011, will become the first brothers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 'That's hard for me (to grasp) because where we come from, two little Black boys from Glenville, Georgia, a town of about 2,500 people, this ain't a dream you have on the farm,' Sterling Sharpe said. 'This ain't a dream you have baling hay and corralling chickens and chasing hogs and picking tobacco. You don't have this dream. It is definitely truly an honor, truly a blessing from God. 'I honestly am a firm believer that everything doesn't have to be articulated and explained and this is one of them that's just a tremendous honor that you look at it the way you walk. But I would be doing us, I would be doing the Hall of Fame, I would be doing this honor a tremendous disservice by trying to talk about how elated, excited, championed we are to be the first brothers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This is a lot bigger than any goal or dream that either he or I had as kids.' Eric Allen The six-time Pro Bowl cornerback played seven seasons with the Eagles, three with the Saints and four with the Raiders. He had 54 career interceptions, including eight returned for touchdowns. Allen also played baseball at Point Loma High School in San Diego. He credits that sport for helping him become one of the game's elite cornerbacks. 'Yes, baseball is a team sport, but when you're up to bat, it's you and the pitcher,' Allen said. 'That helped me play cornerback because if it's third-and-7, third-and-8 and you know where they are going with the ball and you're on that guy, it's you and him so that skillset plus the coaches I had early on, I was able to play the game from the neck up and that's an important part of playing cornerback.' Jared Allen Allen made five Pro Bowls, was a four-time All-Pro and had 136 sacks in 12 seasons with the Chiefs, Vikings, Bears and Panthers. He had 22 sacks for Minnesota in 2011, just one away from breaking the all-time single-season record of 22 1/2 sacks set by Michael Strahan in 2001 and tied by T.J. Watt in 2021. Allen actually was credited with a sack on Aaron Rodgers during a game that season, but the official scoring of the play was changed to a team sack after the game. Rodgers dropped a shotgun snap, chased the ball, fell on it and Allen jumped on top of him. He believes Allen is the record holder. 'Hey Jared, it's Aaron Rodgers,' Rodgers, wearing a Steelers uniform, said in a video posted on social media by the Vikings. 'You are the all time single-season sack leader. I don't care what the numbers say, because that phantom … sack they took away from you would give you the record. So, in my book, and probably in most Vikings fan books, you're the all time, single-season sack leader, my friend.' Antonio Gates Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. A college basketball star at Kent State, Gates signed with the San Diego Chargers as a free agent and became an All-Pro by his second season. He'll become the first player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame without playing the sport in college. He played all 16 of his NFL seasons with the Chargers, finishing with 955 catches for 11,841 yards and 116 TDs. 'I was very fortunate and lucky,' Gates said. 'I was doing it one year at a time. I never let my past reflect on my present. I never let my future reflect on my present. I lived in the moment every year. Every year I had to make the team, every year I had to be the best version of Antonio Gates. Every year I had to improve. Ultimately, I ended up tallying 16 years. … It's a testament to the respect the organization had for myself and the sacrifices that I was able to make.' ___ AP NFL:
Fox Sports
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Sterling Sharpe hasn't fully embraced his selection into the Hall of Fame because of an eye issue
Associated Press CANTON, Ohio (AP) — Maybe the magnitude of the accomplishment will hit Sterling Sharpe when he walks on stage Saturday and sees his bronze bust that will be displayed permanently in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The former Green Bay Packers star wide receiver will be enshrined into football immortality along with cornerback Eric Allen, defensive end Jared Allen and tight end Antonio Gates as the Class of 2025. But Sharpe hasn't been able to celebrate the honor fully because he's been dealing with problems in his right eye. He was still recovering from eye surgery when his brother, Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, informed him in front of television cameras that he was selected. 'I had a detached retina, so I was dealing with not being able to see,' Sterling Sharpe said Thursday. 'There's still a chance I won't be able to see out of my right eye, so for me, I never fully got involved in the process of joy and excitement and what it means and all that because if someone would've asked me when I had eye surgery in October: 'You get to choose. You can have sight and keep your right eye or you can be a Pro Football Hall of Famer.' I would've chosen sight and kept my right eye. 'So I never really in this journey got a chance because I've had four surgeries and just found out last week I have a hole in my retina, so I'm probably set up for another surgery, I never got the joy of being able to just deal with that because I've been dealing with surgeries, pressure, cataract, detached retina, torn retina, now a hole in my retina.' Health issues are nothing new for Sharpe. A neck injury cut short his NFL career after seven seasons, delaying his entry into the Hall of Fame because there always was the question of whether he played long enough. There's no disputing anymore. He's in. He'll receive his gold jacket on Friday night. Sharpe averaged 85 catches and 1,162 yards in his career, finishing with 65 touchdowns. He was named to five Pro Bowls and earned first-team All-Pro honors three times. Sharpe and his younger brother, who was inducted in 2011, will become the first brothers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 'That's hard for me (to grasp) because where we come from, two little Black boys from Glenville, Georgia, a town of about 2,500 people, this ain't a dream you have on the farm,' Sterling Sharpe said. 'This ain't a dream you have baling hay and corralling chickens and chasing hogs and picking tobacco. You don't have this dream. It is definitely truly an honor, truly a blessing from God. 'I honestly am a firm believer that everything doesn't have to be articulated and explained and this is one of them that's just a tremendous honor that you look at it the way you walk. But I would be doing us, I would be doing the Hall of Fame, I would be doing this honor a tremendous disservice by trying to talk about how elated, excited, championed we are to be the first brothers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This is a lot bigger than any goal or dream that either he or I had as kids.' Eric Allen The six-time Pro Bowl cornerback played seven seasons with the Eagles, three with the Saints and four with the Raiders. He had 54 career interceptions, including eight returned for touchdowns. Allen also played baseball at Point Loma High School in San Diego. He credits that sport for helping him become one of the game's elite cornerbacks. 'Yes, baseball is a team sport, but when you're up to bat, it's you and the pitcher,' Allen said. 'That helped me play cornerback because if it's third-and-7, third-and-8 and you know where they are going with the ball and you're on that guy, it's you and him so that skillset plus the coaches I had early on, I was able to play the game from the neck up and that's an important part of playing cornerback.' Jared Allen Allen made five Pro Bowls, was a four-time All-Pro and had 136 sacks in 12 seasons with the Chiefs, Vikings, Bears and Panthers. He had 22 sacks for Minnesota in 2011, just one away from breaking the all-time single-season record of 22 1/2 sacks set by Michael Strahan in 2001 and tied by T.J. Watt in 2021. Allen actually was credited with a sack on Aaron Rodgers during a game that season, but the official scoring of the play was changed to a team sack after the game. Rodgers dropped a shotgun snap, chased the ball, fell on it and Allen jumped on top of him. He believes Allen is the record holder. 'Hey Jared, it's Aaron Rodgers,' Rodgers, wearing a Steelers uniform, said in a video posted on social media by the Vikings. 'You are the all time single-season sack leader. I don't care what the numbers say, because that phantom ... sack they took away from you would give you the record. So, in my book, and probably in most Vikings fan books, you're the all time, single-season sack leader, my friend.' Antonio Gates A college basketball star at Kent State, Gates signed with the San Diego Chargers as a free agent and became an All-Pro by his second season. He'll become the first player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame without playing the sport in college. He played all 16 of his NFL seasons with the Chargers, finishing with 955 catches for 11,841 yards and 116 TDs. 'I was very fortunate and lucky,' Gates said. 'I was doing it one year at a time. I never let my past reflect on my present. I never let my future reflect on my present. I lived in the moment every year. Every year I had to make the team, every year I had to be the best version of Antonio Gates. Every year I had to improve. Ultimately, I ended up tallying 16 years. ... It's a testament to the respect the organization had for myself and the sacrifices that I was able to make.' ___ AP NFL: recommended Item 1 of 3
Time of India
27-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Deion Sanders health mystery continues as Colorado prepares for major Monday update
Deion Sanders health mystery continues as Colorado prepares for major Monday update (Image via Getty) There is growing concern and support online for Deion Sanders, head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes. On Saturday (July 26, 2025), news broke that he and his team of medical experts will speak publicly at a press conference this coming Monday about his health. This announcement has stirred worry because Sanders had been away from his team in Boulder for months and kept his condition private. Yet fans and followers are now voicing their prayers and encouragement. The mystery around his health and the upcoming update have created a tense but hopeful mood across social media. Deion Sanders And Colorado Medical Team To Speak On Monday Colorado football coach Deion Sanders, 57‑years‑old and a Pro Football Hall of Famer, is scheduled to hold a joint press conference with doctors from CU Anschutz and UCHealth on Monday, July 28, 2025, at 11 a.m. Mountain Time, according to a university news release. Deion Sanders missed spring practices and summer workouts because of an undisclosed illness. He has previously faced serious medical issues, two toe amputations in 2021 and surgery for blood clots in 2023. The conference is meant to share general and team updates for the upcoming 2025 season. Deion Sanders still recovering, fans share prayers and quotes In recent videos shared by his son Deion Sanders Jr., filmed at their Texas home, Coach Prime admitted publicly: 'I'm still going through something' and 'I ain't all the way recovered,' while taking an ice bath and doing gentle workouts with his daughter Shelomi. People also saw him shooting baskets and doing a 1.3‑mile run‑walk. His daughter Shelomi said, 'He did good.' Fans on X (formerly Twitter) replied with messages like: 'Man I pray Prime is ok…' 'Hope all is well with Coach Prime.' 'Hope you get better Neon Deion Sanders.' Also Read: 'Not A Care In The World': Deion Sanders Sparks Buzz After Refusing To Explain Summer Health Mystery In Frisco On Friday (July 25), Sanders posted 'Back and Feeling Great!' on social media, showing optimism but he has not shared detailed info yet. He did say at Big 12 media days on July 9 in Frisco, Texas: 'I'm already back. I'm here today. I'm handling my responsibilities… some of the young men I haven't even met yet.' Fans and followers continue to send prayers, hoping for good news on Monday. The press event in Boulder, Colorado, promises to give clarity and many are watching closely. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Gabriella Zuniga: Meet the 20-year-old OnlyFans model who settled a $50m sexual assault lawsuit against 57-year-old Shannon Sharpe
NFL Hall of Famer and sports commentator Shannon Sharpe reached a confidential settlement in a high-profile sexual assault lawsuit on Friday. July 18. The Buzbee Law Firm filed this on April 20 in Nevada on behalf of 'Jane Doe'. Multiple news agencies later confirmed that she is none other than 20-year-old OnlyFans star Gabriella Zuniga . Gabriella Zuniga accused Sharpe of sexual misconduct, emotional abuse, and unauthorized recordings during what both sides now describe as a "consensual but tumultuous relationship." Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Artificial Intelligence Others Data Science others Leadership MBA Product Management Operations Management Data Analytics Design Thinking Technology MCA Public Policy healthcare CXO Project Management Finance Digital Marketing Data Science PGDM Cybersecurity Management Healthcare Degree Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Exec Cert Prog in AI for Biz India Starts on undefined Get Details Also Read: How much is Dylan Dreyer worth in 2025; and who's doing better after her split from Brian Fichera? The lawsuit, which originally sought $50 million in damages, was formally dismissed with prejudice, effectively ending the legal proceedings and preventing the case from being reopened. Live Events Neither party has disclosed details of the settlement, but reports suggest the payout may far exceed an earlier $10 million offer Sharpe allegedly made to avoid trial. Who is Gabriella Zuniga? What is publicly known is that Zuniga is a 20-year-old content creator and model, previously active on platforms like TikTok and Instagram under the handle @sheiskarli. Prior to recent events, she maintained a relatively low online profile, reportedly working in the fitness and influencer space in Los Angeles. Since the lawsuit's dismissal, Zuniga's Instagram accounts have either been locked or removed, and she has refrained from posting. Currently, there is another Instagram account, which her @gabriellazuniga may operate. Earlier, she was also in the middle of controversy when she reportedly offered a sex tape to subscribers who tipped over $2,000. About Shannon Sharpe Shannon Sharpe is a three-time Super Bowl champion and Pro Football Hall of Famer who retired in 2004 as one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history. Over 14 seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos and a brief stint with the Baltimore Ravens, he earned 815 receptions for 10,060 yards and 62 touchdowns, becoming the first tight end to surpass 10,000 receiving yards. After retiring, Sharpe forged a media career, co-hosting Skip and Shannon: Undisputed on FS1 until 2023 and then joining First Take at ESPN in September 2023. He also hosts two popular podcasts, Club Shay Shay and Nightcap, under his Shay Shay Media and The Volume network. The former won accolades and became a major audience draw. As of 2025, his estimated net worth is around $14 million, reflecting earnings from his NFL career, media deals, endorsements, and business ventures such as his premium cognac brand, Shay by Le Portier. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Fox Sports
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
T.J. Watt Extension Was Essential to Prove Steelers Are All-In for 2025
For all the offseason drama, this was inevitable. If the Steelers were really going all-in on 2025 — signing Aaron Rodgers, trading for DK Metcalf and Jalen Ramsey and more — how could they not take care of T.J. Watt? After all, he's as responsible as any current player for Pittsburgh's sustained success. The Steelers made Watt the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history on Thursday, with a three-year deal that will average $41 million. That's more per year than the Browns gave Myles Garrett and even more than the Bengals gave receiver Ja'Marr Chase. Watt deserves it. The 30-year-old edge rusher has led the NFL in sacks in three of his past four healthy seasons: 15 in 2020, 22.5 in 2021 (tying the league record) and 19 in 2023. That puts him at 108 for his career, 6.5 shy of his brother J.J., a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and future Pro Football Hall of Famer. T.J. has been named a Pro Bowler in seven straight seasons, already two more than J.J., whose career was limited by nagging injuries. By his sacks, you could count last season as a down year for Watt — "only" 11.5 — but he finished second in tackles for losses with 19, and more importantly, he led the NFL with six forced fumbles. Pittsburgh has been a good-not-great team with frustrating consistency, good enough to have a .500 record or better in all 16 of Mike Tomlin's seasons as head coach, but losing its past five playoff games. What the Steelers did best last year, and what will make life much easier for Rodgers at age 41, is force turnovers as well as any defense in the NFL. They tied for the league lead with 33 takeaways, also tying with 16 forced fumbles, trailing only Buffalo with the NFL's second-best turnover margin at plus-16. That's an advantage Rodgers hasn't had lately, with his Packers and Jets teams a net-zero in turnover margin in his last two healthy seasons. Watt has already forced 33 fumbles in his career, the fourth-most ever in a player's first eight seasons, trailing only Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis and the late Derrick Thomas. He already has one NFL Defensive Player of the Year award on his résumé, from 2021, but has a real shot at another, trying to keep up with younger elite edge rushers like Detroit's Aidan Hutchinson and Dallas' Micah Parsons. So much of this offseason's attention for the Steelers has been on newcomers — first Metcalf as an elite receiver, then Rodgers as the team continues to try to find any kind of playmaking passer in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era. Most recently, the team acquired Ramsey, a decorated All-Pro corner to upgrade a crucial position on defense. But it's only fair that Pittsburgh wrote the biggest check to one of their own, a star who's played his entire career with the Steelers but has yet to know the joy of a playoff win. If there's one specific area where Watt would probably like to surpass his brother's storied career, it's in enjoying a real, sustained playoff run. J.J. never won more than a single playoff game in any season, and just three in his career, and T.J. has a chance to pull that off as part of a talented, veteran Steelers team. Success this season for Pittsburgh will not be about simply extending Tomlin's streak of avoiding a losing record, but in giving Rodgers a proper sendoff. He hasn't had more than one playoff win in any season since his lone Super Bowl in 2010, and this is likely his final chance to show his post-Packers years were more than just a footnote. As a final act of summer to head into training camp with resolution and momentum, signing Watt was a no-brainer for the Steelers, a huge contract in an economic echelon once reserved for the league's best quarterbacks. You don't make $41 million a year to win awards or finish with a winning record yet again. You earn that in January, and even February, a month Pittsburgh hasn't seen in 15 years. The goal for the Steelers is to get closer to that this year, and Watt will be a huge part of any playoff success they can find. Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He previously spent a decade covering the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
