As far as grand entrances go, future Ring of Famers will have to try mighty hard to upstage Shannon Sharpe.
The former Broncos tight end, wearing his blue No. 84 jersey one more time, jumped out of a plane and parachuted 12,000 feet before landing on the grass at Invesco Field at Mile High minutes before kickoff of the Broncos’ home opener against Cleveland on Sunday.
Quite the opening act for a game that ended with the Broncos celebrating a 27-6 victory.
At halftime, Sharpe became the 22nd Bronco inducted into the team’s Ring of Fame.
Sharpe changed into a sharp black suit for the ceremony. Joined by several family members and other members of the Ring of Fame, including quarterback John Elway, Sharpe watched highlights from his 12-year Bronco career, then needed a few minutes to collect himself before addressing the crowd.
Finally he spoke, with tears streaming down his face.
“I really didn’t plan on getting emotional, and then I looked back and saw my daughter start to well up and I just couldn’t control it,” Sharpe said. “I can’t say what this means to me. Even in my wildest dreams, when I was lying in bed in Glenville, Ga., and then lying in bed at night in my dorm room at Savannah State, never in my wildest imagination did my career turn out like this.”
Sharpe did three practice tandem sky dives on Saturday. He said his jump on Sunday, while exhilarating, is likely his last.
“Great feeling, glad I got a chance to do it,” Sharpe said. “Don’t really foresee myself doing any more, but I can cross this one off my bucket list.”
That means Sharpe will have to think up something even more creative if he’s inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
