Sterling Sharpe facts for kids

Sterling Sharpe (born April 6, 1965) is a former American football player. He was a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Packers from 1988 to 1994. His career ended early because of a neck injury.

After playing, he became a football analyst for the NFL Network. Sterling is the older brother of Pro Football Hall of Fame player Shannon Sharpe.

Early Life and College Football

Sterling Sharpe was born in Chicago, USA. He grew up in Glennville, Georgia, with his grandparents and siblings. His younger brother, Shannon Sharpe, also became a famous football player.

Sterling went to Glennville High School. He played many positions, including running back, quarterback, and linebacker. He was also on the basketball and track teams.

At the University of South Carolina, Sterling played as a wide receiver. He set new school records for:

• Most catches in his college career (169 receptions).
• Most receiving yards in his college career (2,497 yards).
• Most touchdowns in a single season (11 touchdowns).

South Carolina retired his No. 2 jersey in 1987. This was a special honor, as he was still playing at the time. In 2014, Sterling was added to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Playing in the NFL

The Packers chose Sterling Sharpe as their first pick in the 1988 NFL Draft. He was the seventh player picked overall. He quickly made a big impact on the team. In his first year, he started all 16 games and caught 55 passes.

In his second year, he led the entire league with 90 catches. He was the first Packers player to do this since Don Hutson in 1945. Sterling was known for being a tough receiver. He had strong hands and was not afraid to catch difficult passes.

Teaming Up with Brett Favre

In 1992, Sterling Sharpe and the new quarterback, Brett Favre, became a powerful duo. They were one of the best passing teams in the league. In the last game of that season, Sterling caught his 107th pass. This broke the NFL record for most catches in a single season.

That year, he also achieved a rare "Triple Crown" for receivers. This means he led the league in:

• Receiving yards
• Receiving touchdowns
• Receptions

Only a few players in NFL history have done this.

Breaking More Records

In the 1993 season, Sterling broke his own record. He made 112 catches. This made him the first player ever to have more than 100 catches in two years in a row.

In 1994, he caught 18 touchdown passes. This was the second-highest number in league history at that time. On October 24, 1993, he also caught four touchdown passes in one game. This was a rare feat for a Packers player.

Neck Injury and Retirement

Sterling's amazing career ended early because of a neck injury. Near the end of the 1994 season, doctors found a problem with his neck. He needed surgery because the top two bones in his neck were loose.

He had the surgery but could not return to football. He had been invited to the Pro Bowl five times during his career.

Sterling's younger brother, Shannon Sharpe, won a Super Bowl with the Packers in 1996. Shannon gave his first Super Bowl ring to Sterling. He said Sterling was a huge influence in his life:

The two people who influenced me the most, good or bad, are Sterling and my grandmother. Everything I know about being a man, about football, everything I know about sports, pretty much in life, is because of those two people.

In his seven seasons, Sterling was second in total catches and receiving yards in the NFL. He was third in touchdowns. His brother Shannon once said, "I am the only person in the Hall of Fame that can say I was the second best player in my own family."

In 2002, Sterling was added to the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.

After Football

After retiring from playing, Sterling Sharpe became a football analyst. He shares his knowledge and opinions on the NFL Network.

In 2024, he was named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

NFL Career Stats